Purpose
This project will transform and expand Arkansas’s coherent system of supports through competency-based professional learning and ongoing coaching in order to increase the implementation of high-leverage and other evidence-based practices at the regional, district, and school levels. Focused on state, regional, and district level implementation teams, evidence-based practices will provide sustainability over time to improve outcomes for all students, especially students with disabilities. Lessons learned from previous State Personnel Development Grants (SPDGs) awarded to Arkansas, in addition to resources developed through those grants, provide a foundation for this project. The Arkansas SPDG will focus on the use of competency-based professional learning to empower teachers and other personnel to have choice in professional learning to meet their individual needs. This will increase the knowledge, skill, and implementation of high-leverage practices for general and special educators to support all students, especially students with disabilities.
Activities will include synchronous and asynchronous training, coaching, technical assistance, support through web and on-site consultation as needed, and shared problem-solving and peer learning through communities of practice. Participants will be general and special educators, administrators, and related services providers at the state, regional, district, and school levels. Evaluation will include qualitative and quantitative measures of state, regional, district, and school level implementation fidelity, capacity change, content knowledge and skills, and student growth/achievement over time.
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