The State Plan must describe how the strategies and activities the SEA uses will be coordinated with activities supported with other public resources. Links below will connect you to technical assistance resources, research and examples of state programs within the broad topical categories indicated. See the Federal Register announcement for a complete list of all the topical areas that a state may choose to focus on. Additional information may be found in the Partnerships, Needs Assessment, and State Activities sections.

Quick Index:

• Behavior
• Literacy
• Early Intervention
• Highly Qualified Teachers
• Linguistic and Cultural Diversity
• Professional Development and Innovative Programs
• Recruitment and Retention of Highly Qualified Personnel including
  • Paraprofessionals
  • Minority Teachers
• Reforming Teacher Certification

National Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) This Center was established by the Office of Special Education Programs, US Department of Education to give schools capacity-building information and technical assistance for identifying, adapting, and sustaining effective school-wide disciplinary practices. Includes an on-line library, research and literature review and specific information about District-Wide PBS, State-Wide PBS, High school PBS and Families & PBS.

Project ACHIEVE Arkansas SIG uses a “top-down” Training of Facilitators model implementing the evidence-based Project ACHIEVE PBSS approach. The Project ACHIEVE website provides information about ACHIEVE initiatives in several states.

Special Connections is a project funded through the federal Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and coordinated through the University of Kansas. The ultimate goal of the project is to provide educators, both classroom teachers and university faculty, with tools and resources that support students with special needs in general education settings and in accessing the general education curriculum in meaningful ways. Four main areas of focus include Instruction, Assessment, Behavior Plans, and Collaboration. Best practices are identified within each of these four areas and nationally recognized experts create materials for a module about that topic.

State Activities: Behavior This link will take you to the section of the SigNetwork website that offers examples of behavior activities including SIG initiatives and programs.

University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning For more than 20 years, the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning has studied problems in education and worked to place solutions that make a difference in the hands of educators and learners. The center has developed an approach called the Strategic Instruction Model (SIM) a comprehensive approach to adolescent literacy that addresses the need of students to be able to read and understand large volumes of complex reading materials as well as to be able to express themselves effectively in writing. Contains a link to materials from sessions at the 2005 CEC Annual Convention Radical Reform for Secondary Schools: Or, Where do We Find Success for Students with Disabilities?

The Partnership for Reading offers information about the effective teaching of reading for children, adolescents, and adults, based on the evidence from quality research. The site includes information on the research, principles about reading instruction suggested by the research, and products for parents, teachers, administrators, and policy-makers.

The Access Center provides research based information about access to the general education curriculum including reading. There are links to national projects, information briefs and a webinar on IDEA and Literacy Instruction (June 2005) delivered by Catherine Christo, Ph.D. Registration is required for access to webinars (email and creation of password). All webinars are archived and can be viewed at any time.

Identifying Scientifically-based Reading Research is a collection organized by the Tennessee SIG, to support literacy and pre-literacy skills, in accordance with their SIG project goals. The site also provides resources targeted specifically toward parents.

State Activities: Literacy This link will take you to the section of the SigNetwork website that offers examples of literacy activities including SIG initiatives and programs.

Harvard Education Letter (July/August 2005) A special web page on the education of children from preschool through grade three including articles on Early Childhood Education; Voices from the Field; and Promising Initiatives from states and districts using innovative approaches to preschool/elementary school transition.

Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children (DEC) The Division for Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is a nonprofit organization advocating for individuals who work with or on behalf of children with special needs, birth through age eight, and their families. Founded in 1973, the Division is dedicated to promoting policies and practices that support families and enhance the optimal development of children. Children with special needs include those who have disabilities, developmental delays, are gifted/talented, and are at risk of future developmental problems.

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is the nation's largest organization of early childhood educators and others dedicated to improving the quality of programs for children from birth through third grade.

NECTAC is a national technical assistance consortium working to support states, jurisdictions, and others to improve services and results for young children with disabilities and their families. The site includes a link to Part C Program Coordinators contact information for all the states.

Center for Improving Teacher Quality (CTQ) a national center to work with states on developing models for improving the preparation, licensing, and professional development of both GENERAL and SPECIAL education teachers of students with disabilities.

HOUSSE Database Education Commission of the States' Online Interactive HOUSSE "high objective uniform state standard of evaluation" Database. This database references each state's interpretation and progress toward creating this evaluation tool. This site offers a link to Initial Findings and Major Questions About HOUSSE (.pdf) (January 2004) A summary of the initial issues arising from states' designs to evaluating their existing teachers.

No Child Left Behind Grants to States for Improving Teacher Quality (Title II, Part A) U.S. Department of Education Grants to states that may be used flexibly to address challenges to teacher quality, whether they concern teacher preparation and qualifications of new teachers, recruitment and hiring, induction, professional development, teacher retention, or the need for more capable principals and assistant principals to serve as effective school leaders. Revised Title II Part A Non-Regulatory Guidance is available on Highly Qualified Teachers.

Teacher Quality: State Initiatives are collected as part of the Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative to strengthen the U.S. Department Education efforts to support teachers. This database includes state efforts to improve teacher quality, including teacher certification and licensure, preparation and training, recruitment and retention, induction and mentoring, professional development, technology, paraprofessionals, and leadership. While the information provided does not reflect any determination by the U.S. Department of Education that the efforts described are effective or scientifically based, it does offer a breadth of information about local and state efforts toward program improvement.

State Activities: Highly Qualified This link will take you to the section of the SigNetwork website that offers examples of highly qualified personnel activities including SIG initiatives and programs.

The Monarch Center was established to provide grantsmanship and program development services to faculty at Minority Institutions of Higher Education (MIHEs).

The Center for Research on Education, Diversity, and Excellence (CREDE) is one of 12 national research and development centers funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement. The purpose of CREDE's research is to identify and develop effective educational practices for linguistic and cultural minority students.

National Center for Culturally Responsive Education Systems (NCCRESt) a project funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs, provides technical assistance and professional development to close the achievement gap between students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and their peers, and reduce inappropriate referrals to special education. The project targets improvements in culturally responsive practices, early intervention, literacy, and positive behavioral supports. All materials for their Collaborative Leadership Teams professional development module are provided for download - Fostering Team Leadership in Culturally Responsive System, Engaging Stakeholders in Culturally Responsive Systems, and Creating Culturally Responsive Systems.

Office of English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement & Academic Achievement for Limited English Proficient Students (OELA) This resource page is comprised of articles and links regarding the education of linguistically and culturally diverse (LCD) students with special educational needs. The section includes information on teacher preparation, assessment and referral, and parent and community involvement.

Center for Indian Education  Established in 1959,the Indian Education is an interdisciplinary research and service organization housed in the College of Education at Arizona State University. It promotes studies in American Indian/Alaska Native policy and administration that contribute to the quality of scholarship and effective practices in education, professional training and tribal capacity building.

Sapsik’^walá Project As a part of the University of Oregon Native American Initiative, the goal of this program is to prepare American Indian teachers and provide a full year of support services when they begin teaching.

Native American Program at Washington State University. "This project will concurrently address inadequate services and the shortage of professionally trained Native Americans in the field to support Native American communities and individuals facing educational problems associated with communication disorders."

Professional Development

Activities include programs that provide support to both special and regular education teachers, Early Intervention professionals, paraprofessionals and administrators as well as family members of children with disabilities. (90% of funds) The resources below are only a sampling of the areas a state may address with planned training activities. See the Federal Register announcement for a complete list of all the topical areas that a state may choose to focus on.

The IRIS Center for Faculty Enhancement offers a range of course enhancement materials, including interactive modules for student-use, and an array of resources for faculty. The center aims to ensure that general education teachers, school administrators, school nurses, and school counselors are well prepared to work with students who have disabilities and with their families. Funded by a grant from Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education.

The National Staff Development Council (NSDC), founded in 1969, is the largest non-profit professional association committed to ensuring success for all students through staff development and school improvement. The Council's fundamental purpose is to address the issues confronted by all participants in the reform process. The Council views high quality staff development programs as essential to creating schools in which all students and staff members are learners who continually improve their performance.

STAR Tech Supporting Teachers to Achieve Results by Integrating Technology into the Curriculum This comprehensive, research-based approach helps teachers in grades K-12 to integrate a range of low-, mid-, and high-tech tools into the curriculum to benefit all students, and especially students with disabilities.

Center for Innovations in Education Providing professional development services and resources for those who help to ensure that all learners achieve their potential. CISE is a collaborative program of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the University of Missouri-Columbia College of Education.

A National Assessment of Staff Development Needs Related to the Education of Students with Disabilities. Focus on Exceptional Children, (April 2003) by Meyen, Edward L, Ramp, Eugene, Harrod, Cheryl A, Bui, Yvonne N. This article addresses the benefits of on-line training.

State Activities: Professional Development This link will take you to the section of the SigNetwork website that offers examples of professional development activities including SIG initiatives and programs.

Innovative Programs

University of Wisconsin, Distance Education Clearinghouse The Distance Education Clearinghouse allows users easy access to a wide range of information about distance education. This comprehensive and widely recognized web site brings together distance education information and resources from Wisconsin, national and international sources. New information and resources are being added to the Distance Education Clearinghouse on a continuing basis.

E-Learning Design Lab at the University of Kansas (eDL) includes a variety of online staff development and training modules including Curricular Design and Instructional Accommodations for Secondary Students with Mild Disabilities, Models of Collaboration and Data-Driven Instructional Decision Making.

Teacher-to-Teacher workshops at the U.S. Department of Education Online video courses packaged with supporting materials for download. Topics include differentiated instruction, strategies for teaching math and reading, and turning data into information. Includes link to state-by-state requirements for course credit

State Activities: Innovative Online/Distance Learning This section of the SigNetwork website offers examples of online professional development activities including SIG initiatives and programs.

Center on Personnel Studies in Special Education (COPSSE) Provides stakeholders - practitioners, policy-makers, scholars, and the public - with research-based information on special education workforce issues. Research syntheses, issue briefs, executive summaries, and policy briefs are available on the COPSSE web site. The Teacher Education Research section has valuable information related to teacher quality.

National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education (NCPSE) is operated by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). NCPSE is an information resource for professionals and potential students in the fields of special education and the related services professions. As the only national information center of its type, the Clearinghouse gathers, develops, and disseminates information on recruitment, preservice preparation, employment opportunities, and attrition and retention issues. Current data on personnel supply and demand is available. This site includes a listing of State Employment Clearinghouses, Job Banks, and Recruitment Initiatives as well as the publication Retention Strategies Guide : A Practical Guide of Strategies and Activities for Educators and Administrators (in PDF format).

NASDSE's OSEP-funded Personnel Center for Special Education works to build both national and individual state capacity to recruit, prepare and retain highly qualified, diverse personnel for early intervention and special education programs, including classroom teachers, related service personnel and their assistants and instructional paraprofessionals.

A Review of the Research Literature on Teacher Recruitment and Retention (2004) prepared for the Education Commission of the States by RAND Education This literature review represents a comprehensive and critical examination of research published since 1980 on the topic of teacher recruitment and retention in the United States. It provides an understanding of the patterns governing the entry and exit of individuals into and from teaching.

Keeping Quality Teachers (2004) provides school leaders with resources to increase the awareness of the need to address retention of all teachers, especially in the area of persistent challenges, special education. It contains a framework for action and tools to promote the retention of quality teachers. The framework can be used to create a plan at the school or district levels, or to strengthen existing plans.

Paraprofessionals

Paraeducator Training Resources, University of Nebraska Project PARA is committed to offering training that is comprehensive, easily accessible, and beneficial to both paraeducators and the teachers who supervise them.

National Resource Center for Paraprofessionals in Education Addressing policy questions and other needs of the field, providing technical assistance and sharing information about policy questions, management practices, regulatory procedures, and training models that will enable administrators and staff-developers to improve the recruitment, deployment, supervision, and career development of paraprofessionals.

Minority Recruitment see also Linguistic and Cultural Diversity

Minority Teacher Recruitment Begun in 1985, this joint project of University of Louisville and the Jefferson County Public Schools provides intervention at the middle and high school levels to make students aware of opportunities for minorities in education, coupled with services to minority students at University of Louisville with an interest in teaching.

Minority Teacher Recruitment, Development, and Retention (2004) from The Education Alliance at Brown University this publication is designed for both educators and researchers, with examples of effective programs and practices, brief summaries of cited articles and studies, and an extensive bibliography.

American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education AACTE is a national, voluntary association of colleges and universities with undergraduate or graduate programs to prepare professional educators.  Links to their various projects and programs provide a wealth of information and resources.

The Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) is a consortium of state education agencies and national educational organizations dedicated to the reform of the preparation, licensing, and on-going professional development of teachers


National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) is dedicated to licensing well-prepared, safe and wholesome educators for our nation's schools.

50 States Certification Requirements In an effort to facilitate the movement from one state to another, the University of Kentucky College of Education links to the teacher certification requirements for the 50 States currently available online.

State Licensing Agencies direct links to the licensing authority in individual states hosted by the National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education. Also provides links to state web pages related to alternative licensing.

National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, established to develop and operate a national, voluntary system to assess and certify teachers who meet high and rigorous standards.