Oklahoma
Abstract | Basic Information | Improvement Strategies
Oklahoma Abstract or Conceptual Framework for State Systemic Change
The purpose of the Oklahoma State Improvement Grant (SIG) is to promote a systems change effort to ensure that all personnel who work with children with disabilities are prepared and supported in providing a high quality education. The grant is designed to meet the critical needs in Oklahoma for preparing inclusive personnel for educational settings while reducing personnel shortages and providing the ongoing training and retraining of all service providers working with children and youth with disabilities.
The plan of operation of the grant is created to respond directly to specific needs for improvement. These needs were identified through focus group meetings with diverse groups of stakeholders over a seven month period of time. Stakeholders included parents, state agencies that provide services for children and youth with disabilities, institutions of higher education (IHE), local education agencies (LEA), early intervention (IDEA Part C), the parent training and information center, and individual representatives from the fields of general education, special education and related services. Needs were also identified through a thorough analysis of over twenty pieces of state data including student performance, personnel development, findings of the Office of Special Education Programs' (OSEP) and the State Education Agency's (SEA) most recent compliance data, state data reports, personnel data reports, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education supply and demand study, SIG statewide needs assessment and CSPD Regional Action Team needs assessment.
The plan for Oklahoma's state improvement grant includes two major goals:
Goal 1: Prepare children and youth with disabilities to meet challenging state standards and make successful transitions to adult life through the establishment of a sustainable model of personnel preparation and professional development.
Within this goal multiple partnerships will be established between the SEA, families, IHEs, LEAs and communities to more effectively prepare and support inclusive personnel at both the IHE and LEA levels. This will take place through the redesign of the content and delivery of preservice preparation programs and the creation of regional professional development schools within LEAs.
Goal 2: Ensure an adequate supply of qualified personnel to address regional shortages and to meet the needs of children and youth with disabilities by strengthening an infrastructure to support a comprehensive, coordinated system of recruitment, retention and retraining activities.
Within this goal, existing recruitment, mentoring, and other teacher support activities will be expanded. A broad based state level committee will be established to study issues in the area of recruitment, retention and retraining and make recommendations regarding special education and related service personnel needs in the state.
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Project Title |
Oklahoma State Improvement Grant |
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Primary Contact Person |
Margaret Bergant |
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Address |
2500 N. Lincoln Blvd. #411 Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4599 |
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Phone |
(405) 521-4876 |
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Fax |
(405) 522-3503 |
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margaret_bergant@mail.sde.state.ok.us |
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Web site |
http://sde.state.ok.us/ |
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Date SIG Application was Written or Submitted |
December 14, 1999 |
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Begin and End Dates for Funding |
July 1, 2000 to June 30, 2005 |
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Funded Amount |
$1,024,260.00 (est.) |
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Who Wrote the Application |
Not indicated |
Oklahoma Improvement Strategies
1. What products or activities are planned by the SIG?
Oklahoma’s State Improvement Grant (SIG) will promote a systems change effort to ensure that all personnel who work with children and youth with disabilities are prepared as well as supported in providing a high quality education. Through two major goals, the grant is designed to meet the needs to prepare inclusive personnel in educational settings, as well as reduce personnel shortages. Ongoing training and retraining of all service providers that work with children and youth with disabilities will be conducted as part of the grant.
Goal 1: Prepare children and youth with disabilities to meet challenging state standards and make successful transitions to adult life through the establishment of a sustainable model of personnel preparation and professional development.Goal 2: Ensure an adequate supply of qualified personnel to address regional shortages and to meet the needs of children and youth with disabilities by strengthening an infrastructure to support a comprehensive, coordinated, system of recruitment, retention and retraining activities.
Under Goal 1 Oklahoma will establish multiple partnerships between the State Education Agency (SEA), families, Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and communities. This will aid in the preparation and support of inclusive personnel at the IHE and LEA levels. This will take place through the redesign of the content and the delivery of preservice programs, along with the creation of regional professional development schools (PDS) within LEAs.
Under GOAL 2, Oklahoma will expand activities through existing recruitment, mentoring and other areas of teacher support. In order to create a personnel development infrastructure, Oklahoma will establish a broad based state level Recruiting, Retaining and Retraining (RRR) committee that will develop a strategic plan for personnel development: Blueprint for Systemic Change in Recruiting, Retaining, and Retraining Oklahoma Special Educators and Related Service Providers. An online academy will be accessed to support research-based content for sustained professional development. Through the online academy and other projects, the SIG will work to build the capacity to prepare personnel and also assist in the institutionalizing these capacities by providing consultation and support necessary.
2. What interstate connections are planned?
Through the SIG and in an effort to provide support for the reform of special education, the establishment of Preparing Inclusive Personnel (PIP) Projects will serve as a collaborative partnership between the Oklahoma State Department of Education, (OSDE), IHEs, LEAs and families. With the establishment of the statewide RRR committee, representatives from various agencies and professional organizations from all over the state will come together to develop an infrastructure that will anticipate and respond proactively to the supply/demand, demographic and quality issues involving personnel issues.
3. What strategies are planned for service delivery?
Under Goal 1, the SIG will provide incentive funds to universities in Oklahoma for creating PDSs. SIG subgrant funds will be used to support IHE's and LEAs in developing PDS relationships. The PDS will serve as model practicum sites, and teachers from these schools will work with IHE faculty, including family faculty to reform, revise and deliver general and special education preservice curriculum and instruction. IHEs will improve the preparation of special educators and related services personnel to provide family-centered practice in serving students with disabilities. The statewide RRR committee will develop a strategic plan for personnel development. The online academy will support the OSDE efforts to improve professional development through the delivery of existing modules in the areas of positive behavioral supports, classroom use of instructional technology and reading interventions.
4. What partnerships are intended?
All partners are part of the SIG effort to promote a systems change effort to ensure that all personnel who work with children and youth with disabilities are prepared and supported in providing a high quality education.
5. Who are the partners?
The partners are as follows:
OSDE, IHEs, families, LEAs and Members of the Statewide RRR committee which include representatives of the following agencies and professional organizations:
6. What types of contracts or subgrants are intended to partners, LEAs, IHEs, PTIs and others (including lead agency under Part C)?
The Oklahoma SIG will fund four partnership-based PIP Projects through a competitive subgrant process. Subgrants will only be awarded to partnerships consisting of an IHE or consortia of IHEs and LEAs, and families. IHEs will be encouraged to partner with other IHEs to extend the range of project impact across the state.
7. How will resources be pooled with other resources?
Other contracts with partners include:
8. What specific SIG products, activities, initiatives and strategies are pertinent to Part C (birth to 3, infants, toddlers and their families) services and activities in your state?
Participation in the RRR Committee and the results of this committee’s work does include Part C participants and beneficiaries. Related services providers are critical personnel utilized in delivery of services under Part C. Therefore, activities under both Goal 1 and Goal 2 are pertinent to Part C. Throughout the State Improvement Plan (SIP), activities are outlined specific to Part C and reinforce the continuation of collaboration in the STARS program. The OK State Department of Education is the lead agency for Part C.