Certificate of Competency in Early Intervention

Purpose

The Certificate of Competency in Early Intervention (CoCEI) is an alternative credential intended for educational personnel contracting with Preschool Early Intervention (EI) programs who do not hold an active Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Instructional Certificate but are actively working towards one. The credential is designed to ensure the competence of teachers/special instructors and speech-language pathologists who contract with Preschool EI programs to implement Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for children ages three to Kindergarten.

CoCEI applies to teachers/special instructors and speech/language therapists who:

1. Work for a provider agency or as an independent contractor that contracts with a Preschool EI program to implement IEP services;
2. Provide teaching/special instruction or speech-language therapy on behalf of a Preschool EI program; and,   
3. Do not have an active PDE Certificate or a PDE Educational Specialist School Speech and Language Pathologist PK-12 Certification    

The CoCEI is a time-limited certificate that may be appropriate when there is a shortage of fully certified teachers/special instructors or speech-language pathologists with the skills to provide effective Preschool EI services. Contractors who are granted a CoCEI will have three years from the time of approval of their application to obtain the appropriate PDE certification while working under the CoCEI.

It is the responsibility of the Preschool EI program administration to ensure that provider agencies and independent contracted providers understand that CoCEIs are not issued indefinitely and there is a finite amount of time (three calendar years) in which contracted providers must obtain an active PDE Instructional Certificate. The Preschool EI program and provider agency must inform contractors about the requirements and the timelines in which the requirements must be met to maintain employment.

When a contracted provider who is providing EI services under a CoCEI is awarded their teaching certificate, it is the Preschool EI program administration’s responsibility to send the PDE Instructional Certificate Attestation Form, confirming that the individual is a certified teacher and longer in need of the CoCEI to the Bureau of Early Intervention Services and Family Supports (BEISFS) at ra-pwcoceiprogram@pa.gov.

It is also the responsibility of the Preschool EI program to notify BEISFS at ra-pwcoceiprogram@pa.gov if a contracted provider who holds a CoCEI leaves their position and/or is no longer providing EI services for any reason. 

CoCEI Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for a CoCEI, Teachers/SIs must:

• Have a bachelor’s or master’s degree from an accredited college or university in Early Intervention, Early Childhood Special Education, Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Special Education or Elementary Education; or
• Have a degree from an international college or university and an international academic credential evaluation report that confirms the equivalency of a degree in Early Intervention, Early Childhood Special Education, Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Special Education, or Elementary Education

AND

• Be actively working toward obtaining a teaching certificate that results in a PDE instructional certificate in Grades Pre-Kindergarten-4, Special Education PK-8, Special Education PK-12, Special Education N-12, Special Education-Hearing Impaired PK-12, Special Education-Speech/Language Impaired PK-12, or Special Education- Visually Impaired PK-12.

To be eligible for a CoCEI, Speech Therapists must:

• Have an active Pennsylvania speech-language pathologist license

AND

• Be actively working towards obtaining a PDE Educational Specialist School Speech and Language Pathologist PK-12 Certification.

Procedures for Initial Application

1. The Preschool EI program must submit a CoCEI application for each contracted provider who does not have an appropriate certification from the PDE and who is contracted to provide teaching/special instruction, or speech-language pathology services.
2. The initial application must be submitted to the BEISFS at ra-pwcoceiprogram@pa.gov with:
   1. Copy of transcripts from the college or university awarding the applicant’s baccalaureate and/or master’s degree in an approved degree type OR an international academic credential evaluation report that confirms the equivalency of an approved degree type.
   2. If the applicant is applying as a speech language pathologist, a copy of a current Pennsylvania speech language pathology license.
   3. Include the name of the applicant and “Initial CoCEI Application” in the subject line of the email.
3. Once approved, the CoCEI approval letter will be issued to the Preschool EI program and copied to the provider agency and individual contractor or independent contractor.

Procedures When Contractors Move from One Preschool EI Program to Another:

1. When a contracted provider or independent contracted provider with a CoCEI moves from one Preschool EI Program to another a new CoCEI application is not needed. The new Preschool EI Program should notify the RA-PWCOCEIprogram@pa.gov and inform BEISFS that the individual is no longer contracting with the prior Preschool EI Program and is now contracting with them.
2. The new Preschool EI program should document the existence of the individual’s CoCEI, including the expiration date, as part of the Provider Monitoring process.

Procedures When Contracting with Multiple Preschool EI Programs:

1. When an individual with an active CoCEI is contracting with multiple Preschool EI Programs, a new CoCEI application is not needed. The new Preschool EI Program should notify the RA-PWCOCEIprogram@pa.gov and inform BEISFS that the individual is now contracting with them.
2. The new Preschool EI program should document the existence of the individual’s CoCEI, including the expiration date, as part of the Provider Monitoring process.

Procedures for Annual CoCEI Notification from the BEISFS:

1. In July of each year, the BEISFS will send a notification to each Preschool EI program of their contracted providers with active CoCEIs.
2. Each Preschool EI program is responsible for reviewing their list of contracted providers with active CoCEIs within 30 days of receiving the notification. The Preschool EI program must confirm that each individual on their list:
   1. Continues to be an employee of the provider agency or continues to work as an independent contracted provider;
   2. Continues to contract with the Preschool EI program to provide IEP services; and,
   3. Is working towards receiving their PDE Instructional Certificate or their PDE Educational Specialist School Speech and Language Pathologist PK-12 Certificate, as documented within the Provider Monitoring Tool.
3. The Preschool EI program must report any status updates to BEISFS within 30 days.
4. The Preschool EI program is responsible for informing provider agencies and independent contracted providers regarding their CoCEI status and steps that need to be taken prior to their CoCEI expiring.

Procedures for Expiring CoCEIs:

1. CoCEI awardees will have 3 calendar years to obtain an active PDE Instructional Certificate or PDE Educational Specialist School Speech and Language Pathologist PK-12 Certificate, or they will no longer be eligible to contract with their Preschool EI Program to provide services. The approval date and expiration date will both be listed on the approval letter sent from BEISFS.
2. Each January and July, BEISFS will notify all Preschool EI programs of CoCEIs that are expiring within the next six months.
3. Following the expiration of a CoCEI, BEISFS will send a letter to the Preschool EI program, provider agency, and the individual contracted provider stating that the provider is no longer eligible to provide EI services, unless they obtain an active PDE Instructional Certificate or PDE Educational Specialist School Speech and Language Pathologist PK-12 Certificate .
4. There shall be no extensions or reapplications.
5. It is the responsibility of the Preschool EI program to ensure that ineligible providers no longer provide EI services.