Purpose    The purpose of this project is to reform and improve Connecticut's system for personnel
preparation and professional development through a package of comprehensive strategies focused on
expansion of the teaching workforce and improvement of results for children with disabilities that will
facilitate lasting systemic change. 

There a re four main objectives: (a) paraprofessional recruitment would establish a teacher licensure
program which will recruit, enroll, support, and assist paraprofessionals currently employed in CT school
districts to meet certain state certification requirements for both general education and special educators;
(b) early intervention will use a panel of national early intervention experts to develop, field test, and
nationally disseminate a video, training manual and self-study guide for early intervention providers,
caregivers, and parents on strategies for supporting infants and toddlers with disabilities through
natural routines in natural environments; (c) scaling up evidence-based practices will provide the
statewide, targeted professional development required to scale-up those effective practices system-wide,
providing general and special education teachers and administrators with the knowledge and skills to
meet the needs, and improve performance and achievement of infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and
children with disabilities; and (d) enhancing collaborative relationships between parents and schools
will build on the success of the Families as Partners Initiative, this project will establish Parent Advisors
in selected school districts where Parent Advisors will provide training, information, and support to
parents and school staff, particularly with regard to parent involvement in the development of the IEP
and ongoing involvement in the child's program.

Method
To accomplish its goals, the CT State Personnel Development Plan (CSPDP) is coordinated with CT's
improving Teacher Quality State Grants Program, which is managed through CT's Division of Teaching
and Learning.  The CSPDP has been developed with broad-based input from a diverse stakeholder
group (the Comprehensive System of Personnel Development Council) comprised of teachers,
principals, parents, administrators, paraprofessionals, other school personnel, early intervention and
related services personnel, individuals with disabilities and parents.

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