1. Designing and Delivering Preparation in Response to Local Need: Challenges in Preparing and Retaining HQ Special Education Personnel presented by: Phoebe Gillespie, Ph.D. Director National Center to Improve Recruitment and Retention of Qualified Personnel for Children with Disabilities (Personnel Improvement Center)

2. 2 Pre-Service Preparation State Licensure Professional Development For Re-Licensure State Program Approval Standards © INTASC/CCSSO State Teacher Quality System State P-12 Student Standards State Teacher Licensure Standards State Licensure Assessment State Prof. Dev. Requirements

3. 3 Systems-level Related Issues of Licensure and Prep Program Alignment Teacher licensure policy Teacher licensure policy Requires special educators have a content degree or pass a content test Requires special educators have a content degree or pass a content test Requires general ed license before special ed license Requires general ed license before special ed license Requires licensure in both general and special education be aligned with scientifically-based research Requires licensure in both general and special education be aligned with scientifically-based research Program approval policy Program approval policy Requires more collaboration between general and special education during prep process (dual, merged, integrated programs) Requires more collaboration between general and special education during prep process (dual, merged, integrated programs) Requires program approval standards be aligned with scientifically-based research Requires program approval standards be aligned with scientifically-based research Licensure renewal policy Licensure renewal policy Requires all teachers have more collaborative/co-teaching skills around serving students with disabilities in general education classroom Requires all teachers have more collaborative/co-teaching skills around serving students with disabilities in general education classroom Requires professional development and licensure renewal coursework be aligned with scientifically-based research Requires professional development and licensure renewal coursework be aligned with scientifically-based research

4. 4 Four Challenges to Special Education Personnel Development Data systems management Data systems management  for personnel that meet the HQT challenge and informs policy and practice at the state, higher education and local district/community level. Capacity of higher ed preparation programs to align with restructured state licensure system Capacity of higher ed preparation programs to align with restructured state licensure system  in relation to HQ requirements in NCLB and IDEA, 2004. Increased need for supply Increased need for supply  that responds to demand of local schools and communities. Building-level staffing patterns and supports Building-level staffing patterns and supports  that work to appropriately train and retain personnel for increased options in service delivery, including those utilized in inclusive environments.

5. 5 System-level Related Issues of Personnel Data Vision for data systems alignment and its impact on policy and practice. Vision for data systems alignment and its impact on policy and practice. Capacity to collect data and build necessary infrastructure to support systems-level analysis. Capacity to collect data and build necessary infrastructure to support systems-level analysis. Documentation of academic content competency for individual personnel to determine HQT requirement. Documentation of academic content competency for individual personnel to determine HQT requirement. Time, resources and personnel for implementation and ongoing management. Time, resources and personnel for implementation and ongoing management.

6. 6 Alignment of Preparation Programs and State Licensure Restructuring Collaborative planning for new preparation program development among state, higher ed and local districts to deliver Highly Qualified personnel for local classrooms. Collaborative planning for new preparation program development among state, higher ed and local districts to deliver Highly Qualified personnel for local classrooms. Movement away from K-12 special ed licensure. Movement away from K-12 special ed licensure. Inclusion of core academic subject areas in licensure and program approval standards. Inclusion of core academic subject areas in licensure and program approval standards. Practicum experiences in collaborative teaching environments. Practicum experiences in collaborative teaching environments. Higher ed and LEA partnerships that help define what novice teachers need to know and be able to do. Higher ed and LEA partnerships that help define what novice teachers need to know and be able to do. Coursework that reflects critical pedagogy for initial practice. Coursework that reflects critical pedagogy for initial practice. Coursework that reflects research based principles and strategies for instruction Coursework that reflects research based principles and strategies for instruction

7. 7 Alignment of Preparation Programs with State/Local District Needs  Articulation agreements  Between 2 and 4 year programs  Course scheduling  Night and weekend undergraduate offerings  Distance learning opportunities  Shared coursework among IHEs Earlier and more meaningful field experiences Earlier and more meaningful field experiences Focus on retention through ongoing professional development Focus on retention through ongoing professional development

8. 8 Prep Program and Building-level Practice Issues Prep Program leadership in providing building-level administrative preparation and training; Prep Program leadership in providing building-level administrative preparation and training; Prep program and LEA partnership in teacher preparation and ongoing professional development for new staffing patterns in inclusive classrooms; Prep program and LEA partnership in teacher preparation and ongoing professional development for new staffing patterns in inclusive classrooms; Prep program coursework that emphasizes academic content and developmental levels; and Prep program coursework that emphasizes academic content and developmental levels; and Assessment and improvement of working conditions at the building level. Assessment and improvement of working conditions at the building level.

9. 9 Critical Issues that Need Addressing Personnel data systems alignment to inform strategic development of IHE/LEA partnership prep Personnel data systems alignment to inform strategic development of IHE/LEA partnership prep State capacity to leverage change in IHE prep program offerings to respond to regional S & D issues State capacity to leverage change in IHE prep program offerings to respond to regional S & D issues Aligning of state licensure requirements to LEA need for content/field experiences that mirror classroom practice. Aligning of state licensure requirements to LEA need for content/field experiences that mirror classroom practice.