A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

FOR RELEASE
May 2, 2000

Contact:
Jim Bradshaw
(202) 401-2310

$7.5 MILLION AWARDED TO NINE STATES TO IMPROVE STATE
SERVICES FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

The U.S. Department of Education today announced the award of nine state grants, totaling $7.5 million annually for five years, to help improve special and general education services for students with disabilities. The $7.5 million supplements $18 million granted to 18 other states last year.

The nine states receiving the funds are Alaska, Connecticut, Illinois, Montana, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota and Oklahoma.

"This valuable program helps states and schools address such critical issues as teacher shortages and the need for highly qualified personnel," said Judith E. Heumann, assistant secretary for special education and rehabilitative services. "As we continue to work toward a common goal of educational excellence for all children, we see the difference that this form of assistance can make in our schools and in the lives of students with disabilities."

Under the competitive State Improvement Grant program, established by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997, states can apply for funding to reform and improve their systems for providing educational, early intervention and transitional services.

States are required to use 75 percent of the money for the professional development of educators, administrators and related services personnel. Addressing this need, many states combine grant funds with professional development resources from other federal programs. Remaining dollars can be used for technical assistance and disseminating information about best educational practices to improve results for children with disabilities.

To be considered for an award, a state improvement plan must be submitted, based on a comprehensive needs assessment. The assessment identifies critical aspects of early intervention and regular and special education that must be improved to enable children with disabilities to meet the goals that each state must establish for itself under IDEA. Areas assessed include training and personnel needs, the performance of children with disabilities, program effectiveness and the major findings of state monitoring reports.

In the last two years, the department's Office of Special Education Programs has funded 27 of 59 state grant applications received.

Through a variety of innovative methods, the funded states address special education staff shortages, including efforts to recruit and retain racial and linguistic minorities, as well as people with disabilities. Approaches to confronting these shortages include:

• Stipends for special education training programs.

• Web-based instruction;

• Development of alternative learning sites;

• Career ladders for paraprofessionals;

• Interstate collaboration through the development of methods for reciprocal certification;

• Innovative activities, such as formal mentoring and enhanced professional development opportunities that target the retention of new staff.

States are provided a variety of technical assistance opportunities to enhance their ability to develop competitive grant proposals, including support to improve grant writing skills and guidance from the special education office's State Improvement Grant team regarding state questions and concerns.

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STATE IMPROVEMENT GRANTS AND CONTACTS

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