Early Career Professional Membership

Welcome to the field of special education! We’re glad you’re here.

Welcome to the profession! The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) offers discounted membership rates for special or general educators with three or fewer years of professional experience. Take advantage of the professional development, reliable resources, member discounts, and support that CEC membership offers. All new professionals are welcome – classroom, itinerant, resource teachers, support personnel, researchers, faculty members, administrators, and others.

Who this membership is for:

All new professionals within the first three years of graduation are welcome—teachers, support personnel, researchers, faculty members, and more!

Member Benefits

INCLUDED WITH EVERY LEVEL
An AI-Powered Toolkit for Educators The Teacher Empowerment Toolkit combines advanced diagnostics, individualized instructional support, progress monitoring, and AI-powered professional tools built specifically for special education practice—all at no extra cost to you.	Professional Development Enhance your learning with hundreds of hours of high-quality professional development.	Find Your Niche Connect with peers and gain deeper insights into specific topics through local Units and Special Interest Divisions.	Help with the Job Hunt Find the right job opportunity and get in front of your ideal employer using our members-only Career Center.
Save with Exclusive Discounts Gain access to discounts on movie tickets, hotels, theme parks, concerts, and more!	Supportive Community Connect, collaborate, and learn with fellow special educators in CEC’s members-only virtual community.	Expertise You Can Trust Stay up to date with complimentary subscriptions to CEC’s professional journals, TEACHING Exceptional Children and Exceptional Children.	Recognition for Your Achievements Become eligible for national awards that recognize educators and students making a difference in special education.

View a full list of all benefits available to you through membership!

Want even more value? Upgrade your membership!

FULL MEMBERSHIP Everything in Basic, plus:
Print and Online Access to TEACHING Exceptional Children Journal

PREMIER MEMBERSHIP Everything in Basic and Full, plus:
Access to our entire catalog of Curated PD Collections – Over $500 worth of content FREE One (1) Complimentary e-Book from the CEC Store

Questions or comments?

CEC’s Member Services Team is here to assist you. Visit our Customer Service Center to learn how you can contact us for support.

CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER

Last Updated: 30 June, 2026

Early Career Professional Membership

Welcome to the field of special education! We’re glad you’re here.

Who this membership is for:

BASIC

FULL

PREMIER

Member Benefits

Want even more value? Upgrade your membership!

BASIC MEMBERSHIP

FULL MEMBERSHIP

PREMIER MEMBERSHIP

Questions or comments?