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The Connecticut State Department of Education is adopting a new cloud-based certification application portal to replace the current Connecticut Educator Certification System (CECS). The official launch date of the new CECS is November 10, 2026. Please be advised that CECS will be completely offline from Thursday, October 29, 2026, to November 10, 2026, as we prepare to launch the new certification system.



What are Connecticut's certification requirements for school speech and language pathologists?


Read time: 6 minutes

 

Certification Requirements for Speech and Language Pathologists (#061)

We’re so glad you’d like to help students with language and communication! Here are the requirements for certification:

1. Valid license from the Connecticut Department of Public Health

2. A formal institutional recommendation for certification based on completing a speech and language pathology preparation program at a state-approved, regionally accredited college or university. Your coursework must include:

  • 3 semester credit hours in curriculum and methods of providing clinical services to children with communication impairments in schools from:
  • 6 semester credit hours in professional education, including course work in such areas as:
    • Foundations of education
    • Psychology: child, educational, developmental, adolescent, or cognitive learning
    • Classroom instruction and management, bilingual/bicultural education, reading, curriculum development or behavioral management
  • 6-12 semester credit hours in supervised observation, participation, and full-time student teaching. Must include at least 100 clock hours of supervised clinical practice for a board of education
  • A course of study in special education comprising at least 36 clock hours that includes study in:
    • Understanding the growth and development of exceptional children, including handicapped and gifted and talented children and children who may require special education
    • Methods for identifying, planning for and working effectively with special-needs children in the regular classroom

Please note that requirements may change without notice.

 

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