Purpose
The Tennessee Department of Education is pleased to submit its fourth State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG). Previous grants have been leveraged to affect significant change in outcomes for students with disabilities, particularly students with specific learning disabilities. While work from the most recent SPDG will continue with state support, with this grant we seek to focus on increased graduation rates and postsecondary opportunities available to Tennessee students with the most intensive needs, including academic and communication skills. We anticipate a transformative shift in high school culture to an inclusive mindset, with all students engaged in meaningful grade level instruction using high-quality instructional practices to meaningfully engage and teach diverse learners.
We intend to conduct two cohorts of intensive, three-year, school-team training to improve academic and postsecondary results for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities and complex needs. Training will be provided to fifty school teams representing 20 percent of local educational agencies (LEAs). Priority will be given to high-need LEAs; those with the highest percentage of students participating in the alternate assessments, lowest inclusive least restrictive environment, and/or identified as needs intervention through the local determination process. The project design includes development of synchronous training, online asynchronous modules, self-monitoring, and fidelity of implementation tools. This plan will support sustained systemic change and the ability of the department to scale up the work to all schools statewide. Partnership with the University of Kentucky, Human Development Institute will ensure ongoing formative and summative assessments to evaluate overall program effectiveness and provide critical periodic input to maximize results.
Explore Cohort Projects
2020 Washington, D.C.
The project purpose is to increase educator, leader and family competencies in inclusive practices and tiered services and supports for students with disabilities.
2020 New York
This proposal establishes a statewide, multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) integrating academics and behavior to train pre- and in-service educators to provide effective structures and practices that result in improved outcomes for students, particularly students with disabilities.
2020 Nevada
The Nevada (NV) Department of Education (NDE) is pleased to submit a State Personnel Development Grant proposal designed to improve academic outcomes for students with disabilities to the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs.