Purpose
The purpose of this project is to build the capacity of educators through robust professional learning activities to foster high quality progress monitoring, data collection, and data based decisions to develop IEP goals, and adjust the student’s educational program when needed. In addition, the project will provide the coaching supports for new special educators and enhance the transition from IDEA Part C to IDEA Part B services, with a focus on improving the use of IFSP data to inform IEP development comprised of the SSIP.
The Connecticut State Department of Education will collaborate with American Institutes for Research (AIR), ACT Inc., the State Education Resource Center (SERC), 6 Regional Education Service Centers, the Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center, UCONN and Sacred Heart Univ, and 15 local education agencies to design and implement evidence-based professional learning. CSDE will build a sustainable system of professional learning using a blended approach that includes high quality virtual and in-person learning opportunities. CSDE and partners will use evaluation data to continuously improve the project performance and assess the impact of professional learning and statewide scale-up beyond the project duration.
Explore Cohort Projects
2023 Alaska
The GREAT Alaska project will increase the number of special education teachers that are local to rural districts and less likely to leave the district and increase all teachers’ capacity to better provide reading intervention and instruction to Native Alaska students with disabilities.
2023 Kentucky
Kentucky Educators Maximizing Postsecondary Outcomes for Workforce and Education Results for Students (Kentucky EMPOWERS) seeks to increase the quality of transition programming throughout Kentucky school districts in the areas of student skills, career development, collaborative systems, policy
2023 Northern Mariana Islands
The Project Higai improves educational results of children with disabilities through: (a) establishing a stakeholder-responsive professional development (PD) system that engages special education, general education, and families to ensure PD translates to improved practice; (b) expanding current