Purpose
The Mississippi State Personnel Development Grant (MS SPDG) focuses on the evidence-based practices of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), to improve (1) student performance by scaling-up and deepening implementation of these evidence-based practices using a scaffolded model that is responsive to different levels of capacity by a variety of stakeholders in a variety of settings with a variety of spheres of influence, and (2) educator effectiveness by providing new opportunities for individuals to self-select professional development goals and opportunities to support such practices at the student and classroom levels.
Using the framework suggested by the National Implementation Research Network (NIRN), the MS SPDG will provide support for evidence-based improvement efforts at all systems levels including agency, district, school, facility, and classroom. Our systems-level work attends to the five components of the Active Implementation Framework given by Blasé et al. (2015): usable interventions, intervention stages, implementation drivers, improvement cycles, and implementation teams. Through this work we help address unmet needs in our state for support required to improve educational outcomes for students with and without disabilities in Mississippi.
Explore Cohort Projects
2021 North Carolina
The North Carolina State Improvement Project (NC SIP) will provide comprehensive, high quality professional development and follow up coaching focused on effective leadership and effective instruction to districts and schools.
2021 Colorado
The project purpose is to increase academic and behavioral outcomes for students, particularly students with disabilities.
2021 Maine
The goals of the Maine SPDG are to increase the mathematics proficiency of students in grades 3–8 with IEPs in seven school districts and to improve school climate through the reduction in exclusionary discipline practices.