From June 2010 - October 2011 I worked at a nonprofit and I worked with children who had emotional, mental, social and behavioral challenges. I worked with one student at a school where I made a really good connection with the principal who said that he wished he had a position open (my agency closed, thats why I stopped working).
Today, a special ed position came open online. I don't have special ed degree, but its what I've done for YEARS. The degree is one of the requirements on the online ad .... but being that the principal knows what I've done and what I did for his students would you give him a call and see if you could still pass the requirements? I meet the other requirements, and have certifications that go along with the position, just not the degree.
Re: Would you call?
I would call/apply. You have nothing to lose. The job I most recently applied to told me that due to the hundreds of applicants that had applied for the position, they kept increasing the requirements to weed out a few people who would not be qualified otherwise solely due to the high number.
I say go for it. Besides, you never know, if you do need the degree they may know of others hiring for something similar.
Good luck!
Steps on My Spiritual Journey
My three sons!