Membership Benefits Overview

Learning Library 

The CEC Learning Library has curated, on-demand courses you need to excel —in a platform that enables you to determine and reach your own learning goals. More learning opportunities are added to the Learning Library monthly. As a Full or Premier CEC Member, you can access all on-demand webinars, courses, workshops, and microlearning opportunities within the Learning Library, for free. 

For questions, contact:
Brooke Massey
eLearning Manager
[email protected]

Exceptional Teacher Resource Repository 

This database of resources is for CEC members to find peer-reviewed resources created by your fellow members that you can use in your own classroom, such as: videos, handouts, templates, instructional strategies, how-tos, etc. Everything is peer-reviewed by fellow teachers to ensure that we're highlighting not only exceptionally helpful resources, but the work of exceptional teachers. 

For questions, contact:
Shanna Takacs
eLearning Manager
[email protected]

Student Resources 

Check out some curated resources below and find inspiration in the experienced words and videos from your graduate and pre-service special education peers. You can access interview hacks, job search ideas, the Career Center, and much more.

For questions, contact:
Brooke Massey
eLearning Manager
[email protected]

Career Center

Browse special education jobs and get help with career coaching, resume writing, referencing checking, and more in CEC's Career Center. 

Sales Inquiries:
Carmelo Debelen
Boxwood Technology
[email protected]  

Other Questions:
CEC Member Services
(888) 232-7733
[email protected] 
Chat live using the chat feature in the bottom-right corner.

Life Centered Education Transition Curriculum 

An all-in-one set of 1,200 transition lesson plans with related tests, the Life Centered Education (LCE) is a fully online, secure transition curriculum that students and teachers can engage with 24/7. LCE’s online portal tracks and reports on progress and outcomes and is specifically designed to help meet Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals. 

For questions, contact:
Nancy Fones
Manager, Life Centered Education Curriculum
[email protected]

Member Insurance

Visit CEC’s Member Insurance Center to learn about your policy limits, download FAQ documents, learn how to contact our vendor, and much more. 

For questions, contact:
Forrest T. Jones & Company
www.ftj.com/cec

CEC Store

You can find books, eBooks, laminated guides, specialty items, CEC swag, Graduation Honor Cords, and recent issues of the TEACHING Exceptional Children journal. CEC publications plus a wide range of curated publications from other publishers are all here. Be sure to check out our new and featured publications while you’re there! Don’t forget – members get discounts on purchases in the CEC Store!

For questions, contact:
Jake Minor
Senior Manager, Operations and Resources
[email protected]

Professional Development 

We offer a wide variety of professional development opportunities through webinars, online courses, in-person trainings, conferences, and more. Find out how you can learn with CEC to gain evidence-based practices for students with exceptionalities and get the answers you need. 

For questions, contact:
Brooke Massey
eLearning Manager
[email protected]

Convention and Expo 

Each year at the CEC Convention & Expo, thousands of special education professionals from around the world come together to learn, share, grow, and connect. With hundreds of sessions on just about every topic in the field, the CEC Convention & Expo is THE professional development event for special educators to find research, tips, and strategies you can apply to supporting students with disabilities and/or gifts and talents. 

For questions, contact:
CEC Member Services
(888) 232-7733
[email protected]
Chat live using the chat feature in the bottom-right corner. 

Online Learning 

Choose from online events that air live or on-demand events that let you learn on your own schedule. 

Whether you’re looking for your own learning opportunities, creating someone else’s professional development plan, or planning for an all-staff in-service, there’s something for you. 

For questions, contact:
Online Learning:
Brooke Massey
eLearning Manager
[email protected] 

In-Person Learning 

We use a variety of learning formats so you have options – not only in what you learn, but how you learn it. Our in-person trainings are designed to help practitioners translate research to practice with effective strategies that improve student outcomes. 

In-Person Learning:
Megan Shea
Manager of Learning Logistics
[email protected]

Professional Journals 

TEACHING Exceptional Children features research-to-practice information and materials for the classroom, while Exceptional Children publishes research, scholarly reviews, data-based position papers, and policy analyses on the education and development of children and youth with exceptionalities. 

• TEACHING Exceptional Children is a bi-monthly publication. 
• Exceptional Children is a quarterly publication. 

For questions, contact:
CEC Member Services
(888) 232-7733
[email protected]
Chat live using the chat feature in the bottom-right corner.

High Leverage Practices 

Developed by CEC and the Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability and Reform (CEEDAR) Center, the High-Leverage Practices (HLPs) are 22 practices that every K–12 special education teacher should master and be able to demonstrate. 

CEC TV 

Each year at the annual CEC Convention & Expo, CEC TV shares the latest developments in special education research, explores new trends, and highlights the best practices dedicated to improving the success of children and youth with disabilities. 

State of the Profession Report 

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)'s State of the Special Education Profession Survey provides a current snapshot of the state of the profession and serve as a data-driven foundation for CEC leadership activities in public policy, standards, and professional development. 

Special Education TODAY

Stay on top of news in the special education sector. From news and alerts to the President’s Monthly Newsletter and 100 Stories, you'll find lots of great news and articles that you can use in your work right now. Sign-up today or send it to your friends and colleagues! 

For questions, contact:
Annie Drinkard
Director of Communications and Publications
[email protected]

Policy Insider 

Learn about the special and gifted education issues Congress and the administration are considering by reading CEC's Policy Insider. Sign up today to receive weekly e-mail updates!

For questions, contact:
Annie Drinkard
Director of Communications and Publications
[email protected]  

Legislative Action Center 

Use CEC's Legislative Action Center to take action on a number of legislative issues by filling out your information and sending a letter to your Members of Congress. 

For questions, contact:
Kuna Tavalin
Senior Policy and Advocacy Advisor
[email protected]  

Children and Youth Action Network

CEC’s Children and Youth Action Network (CAN) is an organized group of volunteers dedicated to helping advance policy affecting students with disabilities and gifts and talents.

Advocacy Basics 

Find out how you can advocate for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with exceptionalities and the professionals who support them 365 days a year.

Position Statements 

Our position statements help guide the work of CEC’s policy efforts as we continue to serve as a leading voice for the field of special education.

Professional Preparation Standards 

CEC's Professional Standards define the specialized expertise special education professionals must master for safe and effective practice. These standards are used to inform special educator preparation programs, accreditation organizations, and credentialing agencies. As the recognized leader for special education professional standards, CEC develops standards, ethics, practices, and guidelines to ensure that special educators are better prepared for successful, long-term careers. 

For questions, contact:
Brad Duncan
Director of Professional Standards
[email protected] 

Program Review and National Recognition 

For our program recognition work, we partner with the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). Programs pursuing CAEP Accreditation that engage in the specialized professional association (SPA) program review process seek National Recognition by demonstrating mastery of the CEC Standards.   

CEC Accreditation 

Accreditation is built upon CEC’s history of National Recognition as a SPA (Specialized Professional Association) and to create an accreditation process that is a robust, targeted approach focused on developing candidate proficiencies, candidate performance on CEC standards, public accountability, and contextual indicators of quality in alignment to the existing CEC Professional Preparation Standards.