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2020 Indiana

PR Award #: H323A200001
Name: Indiana Department of Education
Title: Partnering with Families, Students and Educators for Improved Student Outcomes
City, State: Indianapolis, IN
Project Director: Kristan Sievers-Coffer
Project Director email: ksievers@doe.in.gov

Purpose

The Indiana State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG), IN-SPDG 2020, is focused on one overarching purpose: In partnership with schools, families, agencies and communities, the IN-SPDG seeks to improve educational outcomes for  students with disabilities by ensuring their access to high quality instruction in the general education classroom. The project will improve the educational experiences and outcomes of students with disabilities by (1) increasing the number of teachers delivering high quality instruction to students with disabilities in the general education classroom through job embedded professional development at the state, regional and district levels; (2) maintaining and increasing the number of licensed special education teachers with improved recruitment, support and retention of teachers for students with disabilities; (3) increasing the capacity of school leaders at the school and district level to develop, implement and sustain inclusive practices through systems of support implemented through the framework of implementation science; and (4) increasing support for families of students with disabilities through effective partnerships that support teacher development and student and school improvement. The project is intended to construct a professional learning framework to support systemic educational improvement throughout the state of Indiana using the principals of implementation science. It builds on and supports Indiana’s significant state and local reform efforts already underway in critical areas such as teacher growth and development; instructional effectiveness to achieve rigorous standards and high expectations for student learning; improving early care and early childhood education; developing systems of support for school improvement and supporting teacher and principal effectiveness.

Method

To meet these goals, a multi-tiered system of support will be provided at the state, region and local district levels. Based on state and local needs, training, coaching, and technical assistance will be provided that will (1) create on-line professional development modules and resources for educator training and instructional improvement and use traditional as well as technology augmented strategies to disseminate resources state and nation-wide; (2) provide regional and statewide training in culturally responsive practices, collaboration, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and family engagement; (3) establish job-embedded professional growth and support systems in selected rural districts; and (4) partner with higher education institutions to increase the number of high quality special education teachers. An annual review of student growth and teacher effectiveness data and project results will be used to adjust and refine the objectives and activities to maximize successful efforts under this project.