PERSONNEL DEVELOPMENT TO IMPROVE SERVICES
AND RESULTS FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES
(CFDA 84.325)
THE PURPOSES OF THIS PROGRAM ARE TO (1) HELP ADDRESS STATE-IDENTIFIED NEEDS FOR HIGHLY QUALIFIED PERSONNEL-IN SPECIAL EDUCATION, EARLY INTERVENTION, RELATED SERVICES, AND REGULAR EDUCATION--TO WORK WITH CHILDREN,
INCLUDING INFANTS AND TODDLERS, WITH DISABILITIES; AND (2) ENSURE THAT THOSE PERSONNEL HAVE THE NECESSARY
SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE, DERIVED FROM PRACTICES THAT HAVE BEEN DETERMINED THROUGH SCIENTIFICALLY BASED
RESEARCH AND EXPERIENCE, TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN SERVING THOSE CHILDREN.
BACKGROUND: THE PURPOSE OF THE PERSONNEL PREPARATION IN SPECIAL EDUCATION, EARLY INTERVENTION, AND
RELATED SERVICES PRIORITY IS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY AND INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PERSONNEL WHO ARE FULLY
CREDENTIALED TO SERVE CHILDREN, INCLUDING INFANTS AND TODDLERS, WITH DISABILITIES--ESPECIALLY IN AREAS OF
CHRONIC PERSONNEL SHORTAGE--BY SUPPORTING PROJECTS THAT PREPARE SPECIAL EDUCATION, EARLY INTERVENTION, AND
RELATED SERVICES PERSONNEL AT THE BACCALAUREATE, MASTER'S, AND SPECIALIST LEVELS.
STATE DEMAND FOR FULLY CREDENTIALED SPECIAL EDUCATION, EARLY INTERVENTION, AND RELATED SERVICES PERSONNEL
TO SERVE INFANTS, TODDLERS, AND CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES EXCEEDS THE AVAILABLE SUPPLY
(BRUDER, 2004A; BRUDER, 2004B; MCLESKEY & BILLINGSLEY, 2008; AND MCLESKEY, TYLER & FLIPPIN, 2004). THESE
SHORTAGES OF FULLY CREDENTIALED PERSONNEL CAN NEGATIVELY AFFECT THE QUALITY OF SERVICES PROVIDED TO INFANTS,
TODDLERS, AND CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES (MCLESKEY ET AL., 2004).
PERSONNEL PREPARATION PROGRAMS THAT PREPARE PERSONNEL TO ENTER THE FIELDS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, EARLY
INTERVENTION, AND RELATED SERVICES AS FULLY CREDENTIALED PERSONNEL WITH THE NECESSARY COMPETENCIES TO USE
EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES ARE CRITICAL TO OVERCOME THE PERSONNEL SHORTAGES IN THESE FIELDS. FEDERAL SUPPORT
OF THESE PERSONNEL PREPARATION PROGRAMS IS NEEDED TO INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF PERSONNEL WITH THE NECESSARY
COMPETENCIES TO EFFECTIVELY SERVE INFANTS, TODDLERS, AND CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES.
State/Period of
Professional
Development
Grant
Arizona
Iowa
Nevada
Washington
West Virginia
Arkansas
Colorado
Indiana
Focus Areas
October 2007 thru September 2012
Speech/Language Pathologists, Early Literacy and Math
Development through RTI
Improving Secondary Results
Professional preparation and development; improved
student achievement
Improve skills and knowledge of parents and professionals
to improve outcomes of children with disabilities B-21 and all
struggling learners. RTI
Increased literacy at all levels, RTI
October 2009 thru September 2014
Improve student performance in literacy and math, state
compliance on State Performance Plan; Professional
preparation, retention, focus on high poverty schools. RTI,
PBS
Professional development on practices within RTI, PBIS
frameworks appropriate for all students including students
with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Significant Support
Needs – including early childhood settings
RTI, School-Wide Positive Behavioral Supports, School
climate supporting academic and behavioral needs of all
students
National Community of
Practice State Team: School
Behavioral Health and/or
Transition
State Leadership Team in
National Transition Community
of Practice
Tennessee
(ends 4/30/15)
Alaska
Illinois
Minnesota
Mississippi
Montana
North Carolina
South Carolina
Connecticut
Louisiana
Maine
Nebraska
New York
Oklahoma
Professional development to improve reading and math
outcomes through PBS and RTI; Early Childhood focus on
children with Autism.
October 2010 thru September 2015
Professional development and training to improve outcomes
of students including schools in high poverty areas where
population has limited English proficiency.
Development of statewide system of personnel development
to improve student outcomes; RTI, collaboration with all
stakeholders
Improved student outcomes through professional
development on practices of high-quality instruction;
workforce development
Professional development to increase graduation rates and
reduce dropout rates; PBIS at all levels; address training for
behavioral support needs; facilitate re-entry to community
school from out-of-community placements.
Professional development and training in practices and
multi-tiered models of academic and behavioral supports;
access to general curriculum for students needing high
levels of support
Professional development and training to improve quality of
teaching and outcomes of students with disabilities including
academic, graduation rates; stakeholder collaboration
including increased parent satisfaction; workforce
development
Systemic, strategic professional development to address
achievement gaps between students with disabilities and
non-disabled peers. Heightened focus on high-need schools.
October 2011 thru September 2016
Build statewide PD system for RTI “Scientifically
Researched-Based Interventions.” Increase literacy, improve
behavior. Administrative leadership, coaching. Close
achievement gap for students with disabilities. PBS and
literacy instruction driven by Common Core State Standards;
multi-tiered interventions, data-driven process
Improve outcomes for students with disabilities ages 6-21.
PD in implementation of data-based decision making,
integrating inclusive practices, collaborating and engaging
with families, implementing culturally responsive practices,
tiered systems of support, project outcomes measurement
Evidence-based PD statewide to support students with
disabilities ages birth-20. Workforce development in targeted
geographic areas, PD for implementation of Common Core
State Standards, early intervention model/coaching, regional
PD workshops and online modules.
School-wide systems change approach to improving
academic and behavioral outcomes for all students. PBIS
development and implementation in10 school districts
including evidence-based strategies; increase family and
community engagement. Administrator training partnerships
with higher education.
Statewide PD to school personnel and parents on RtI.
Technical assistance and training through regional structure
in partnership with parent centers, higher ed, school boards
assoc.
Supports to schools providing multi-tiered systems of
academic and behavioral supports; scaling-up PBIS and
RTI; regional support system of coaches in partnership with
local school districts and higher ed; parent engagement.
State Leadership Team in
National School Behavioral
Health Community of Practice
Statewide cross-stakeholder,
interagency community of
practice network supporting
transition and behavioral health.
Oregon
Wyoming
Alabama
California
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Kansas
Kentucky
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Expand PD to address infrastructure, depth, breadth, and
licensure. Common Core State Standards; evidence-based
behavior and academic programs, data-based decision
making; workforce development in special education,
speech-language pathologists
PD and technical assistance for implementation of evidencebased practices; meeting special education state
performance plan goals, support local school districts to
increase parent involvement, provide behavioral supports
and increase services in general education settings for
students with disabilities.
October 2012 thru September 2017
Improve student performance and graduation outcomes; PD
framework for educators, families, stakeholders to improve
transition to adulthood. Reading, math, science, technology
collaborative instruction for students with disabilities.
PD in collaborative, evidence-based instructional practices
for middle-school educators; address Common Core reading
skills; partner with families and higher education
Information not available
Increase high school completion rates of students with
disabilities. Support implementation of Sustained
Intervention model of student engagement with school and
learning; Scale-up Strategic Instruction Model; increase
family awareness and knowledge of evidence-based
instructional strategies that support students with disabilities.
Decrease gap in graduation rate and performance between
high performing students and students with disabilities;
Graduate FIRST model, technical assistance for compliant
transition plan development and student-led IEPs, early
intervention and PD for elementary teachers of students with
autism, PD to improve teacher effectiveness.
Develop sustainable infrastructure of partnerships to
improve academic and social outcomes of all students,
especially students with disabilities. PD: external coaches to
support implementation of RTI K-12
Focus is on pre-service workforce development and inservice PD, teaching improvement strategies, identifying
student behavior support needs and evidence-based
strategies; recruiting, mentoring, supporting teachers of
students who are visually impaired or deaf; online
mentoring/support of early career teachers
PD to support increased academic proficiency, high school
completion, college and career readiness, closing
achievement gap of students with disabilities; supports and
increased transition opportunities for students with lowincidence disabilities.
Focus on academic outcomes of students with disabilities
pre-K through grade 6; enhance TA for data-based decision
making, evidence-based practices in math instruction, and
increase parent involvement statewide.
Information not available
Evidence-based practices in a multi-tiered integrated
behavior and academic model – emphasis on fidelity of
implementation to improve outcomes for students with
disabilities; PBIS, reading and math instruction, partnerships
with higher education, professional ed. Organizations,
Parent Training and Information Center to provide PD;
student outcome-focused PD; developing local capacity to
State leadership team in
National Community of Practice
on Transition
State leadership team in
National Community of Practice
on School Behavioral Health
Missouri
New Hampshire
New Mexico
North Dakota
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Wisconsin
implement PD
Evidence-based PD for school staff including feedback
loops, technologies for PD and sharing resources and to
enhance fidelity of implementation and measure impact of
PD.
Increased high school graduation rate of students with
disabilities; increased college and career readiness through
evidence-based transition practices. Implementation of
extended learning opportunities (ELOs), PD for staff in
supporting ELOs.
PD for high-need schools implementing state initiatives on
accountability, principal evaluation, implementing Common
Core Standards, RtI to ensure effective supports for students
with disabilities
Implement and scale-up PD related to multi-tiered systems
of support (MTSS) to improve academic and behavioral
outcomes for students with disabilities; access to statewide
PD; pre-service internships in model MTSS sites.
Comprehensive Capacity Building PD model to address
academic and behavioral needs of students with disabilities
and those at risk of being inappropriately identified.
Partnerships with higher education, parent/family
organizations, professional organizations to support
scalability and sustainability of evidence-based practices.
Increase capacity of PA schools to provide all students with
maximum access to the PA Common Core Standards
through PD in instructional methods, collaboration with
higher ed, partnering with parent organizations to build
advocacy and leadership skills.
Assist school districts to develop multi-tiered systems of
supports (MTSS); high quality evidence-based PD, preservice training in MTSS, partnering with school districts,
parents, community, students with and without disabilities
Develop infrastructure to implement multi-tiered systems of
support (MTSS); PD to improve instruction in general
education classrooms for students with disabilities;
partnerships with agencies; data-based decision making to
improve instruction; increase family support for MTSS.
Improve personnel preparation and PD in early intervention
and education services (birth-age 3 and preschool special
education ages 3-5) to support early reading, numeracy,
social emotional development of infants, toddlers and
preschoolers; develop capacity to provide MTSS to schoolage children in VT schools. Train regional parent leaders to
deliver PD to all stakeholders. Development of web-based
infrastructure for delivery and access to content.
Improve literacy outcomes for adolescents with disabilities;
restructure special ed PD system; Implement VA Tiered
System of Support (VTSS); PD and coaching in system of
PD using aligned technological systems
PD on Professional Learning Community development and
implementation; collaborating with early childhood
stakeholder groups, partnerships with families in data-driven
decision making; partnerships with higher education
State leadership team in
National Community of Practice
on School Behavioral Health
State leadership teams in
National Community of Practice
on School Behavioral Health and
National Community of Practice
on Transition
State leadership team in
National Community of Practice
on School Behavioral Health
State leadership team in
National Community of Practice
on School Behavioral Health;
also involved with National
Community of Practice on
Transition through Autism
network and “Credit Flex”.
State teams in National
Community of Practice on
Transition and National
Community of Practice on
School Behavioral Health
State involvement with National
Community of Practice on
School Behavioral health
State leadership team in
National Community of Practice
on Transition
State leadership team in
National Community of Practice
on Transition
State Personnel Development Grants Primary source:
http://www.signetwork.org/content_pages/5
National Communities of Practice on Transition and School Behavioral Health:
www.sharedwork.org