Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
Please allow 3-5 business days to process your request.
You can learn more about sponsorship and business opportunities by visiting our Business Opportunities page.
No amount of dues paid to CEC are used for lobbying.
Membership dues in CEC generally are not tax deductible, but you should consult your tax advisor for more information.
Yes – donations to any of CEC’s various funds are generally tax-deductible. These are considered donations to CEC and not professional expenses. It is recommended that you consult your tax advisor for more information.
Membership
A description of each form is listed below. Please click the "View Forms" button to be taken to the forms page.
- Professional Member – for professionals with more than three years working in special or general education.
- Early Career Professional Member – for professionals with three or fewer years working in special or general education.
- Retired Professional Member – for professionals who no longer hold a professional position – employee, consultant, or otherwise - in education or special education.
- Pre-Service Student Member – for currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate students, including doctoral candidates, who have not yet graduated and/or worked as a special education professional.
- Graduate Student Member – for currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate students, including doctoral candidates, who have been in the profession and are returning for additional credits/degree(s).
- Paraeducator Member – for paraprofessionals providing instructional or related support to students and their families under the direction and supervision of a certified teacher.
- Family/Affiliate Member – for individuals who are interested in special education but are not employed (including as consultants) in any field of education and/or special education.
- Group Membership/Professional Development Packages are available for groups of five (5) or more professionals from the same school, school district, cooperative, university, student group, or other organization. Groups must be submitted using this form and payment.
You can request a Membership Verification Letter by completing a short form. Your recipients will receive the letter and you will also receive a copy upon completion. For urgent requests, please contact us directly at (888) 232-7733 and be sure to have your CEC Member ID ready.
Yes. CEC offers one (1), two (2), and three (3) year membership options.
The CEC membership is active for one year from date of payment.
No. CEC does not permit the transfer of membership between individuals. The new member must join independently.
Yes, CEC offers a Family/Parent Affiliate membership which allows individuals interested in the special education field. Family/Parent Affiliate members cannot be employed in any field of education and/or special education (including as consultants). CEC does not provide services directly to children or families.
Group membership information can be found on our Group Membership Page. CEC offers preferred rates to groups of five (5) or more.
Yes! Click below to submit a hardship waiver request and a member of our team will be in touch with you.
Your Member Profile
You may have a duplicate record in our system. Please contact CEC Member Services to have us merge your records and update your login information.
Please click below to sign in to your account. Usernames and passwords are case sensitive. If you do not remember your username or password, please contact CEC Member Services.
First, login to your account. Next, under Account Actions, click Reset Password and follow the prompts. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please reach out to CEC Member Services. If you are unable to access your account or have difficulty with the reset form, please contact CEC Member Services.
Event Information
Please visit CEC's Convention & Expo website to see group registration information.
All purchase orders must be received with all accompanying registration forms. Before submitting your forms, be sure that all information is complete and accurate. Click below to submit your purchase order.
Some events are eligible for group registration discounts. To learn more about group discounts, please visit the webpage of the event you would like to attend.
For CEC’s Convention & Expo discount information, please the Convention website to see group registration information.
Payment Information
All purchase orders must be received with accompanying member information. We do not currently accept purchase orders online; they must be submitted directly to CEC. Click below to submit your purchase order.
Council for Exceptional Children
PO Box 79026
Baltimore, MD 21279-0026
NOTE: This address is for payments only. All other correspondence should be sent to CEC’s Office Address (above).
Yes! All purchase orders must be received with accompanying member, attendee or product information. We do not currently accept purchase orders online; they must be submitted directly to CEC. Click below to submit your purchase order.
No – CEC does not offer refunds for any of our professional journals, including TEACHING Exceptional Children and Exceptional Children. All journal sales are final and no refunds will be issued.
Life Centered Education & Online Resources
Please email [email protected]. for more information. For more information on LCE 2.0, please visit our webpage.
At the top of the page, click CEC Learning Library or by clicking below. For questions about accessing the Library, contact the CEC PD Team at [email protected].