The Intensive Teacher Institute in Bilingual Special Education (ITI-BSE) was created to address the shortage of certified Bilingual and English as a Second Language Special Education educators in New York State. Mercy College is one of the collaborating institutions of higher education (IHEs) approved by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) through Eastern Suffolk BOCES to assist participants in meeting the requirements for a Bilingual Special Education or a TESOL Special Education extension certificate.

The 15-credit NYSED sponsored ITI-BSE program permits qualified applicants who hold an approved NYS base special teaching certificate in B-6 or 7-12 subject area to earn a NYS professional Bilingual Special Education or TESOL Special Education teaching extension certificate. These teacher candidates must meet all program prerequisites and are required to complete the five courses listed below and pass the BEA exam (Bilingual Special extension) or CST-ESOL (TESOL extension in Special Education). For TESOL candidates, 12 credits in a language other than English is also required.

Interested candidates in this program need to review eligibility requirements and apply first for acceptance into this 15 credit tuition-assisted program through Eastern Suffolk BOCES: www.esboces.org/Page/382.