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Introduction
The Paraeducator Support Project is a four-year model demonstration grant funded by the United States Department of Education (Office of Special Education Programs) and operated by the Center on Disability and Community Inclusion at the University of Vermont. This project is designed to develop, implement, and evaluate a model for effective use of paraeducators to support students with disabilities in general education classes.
The project staff have developed a school-based planning process designed to assist the school community in assessing their own needs related to paraeducators, develop a plan, implement it, and evaluate its impact. The planning process, "A Guide to Schoolwide Planning for Paraeducator Supports" is available on our project website. It will be updated this summer (2001) for use with teams during the 01-02 school year.
We are seeking schools to field-test the planning process during the 2001-2002 school year. Preference will be given to inclusive high schools, though all schools are welcome to apply.
Description
What are the criteria and requirements for participation?
* The school must be inclusive (i.e., supports students with a full range of disabilities in general education classes; general education placement is the first option considered with appropriate supports).
* The school must complete an application form which includes identifying information requires building administrator permission to participate and local Board of Education approval (as needed if required by local protocols).
* The school must assemble a team of individuals (as outlined in the planning process directions) to go through the planning process.
* The planning team is expected to use the process and document its work (on the planning forms or provide other written documentation).
* The school is expected to submit a copy of its planning document and a feedback form about the process (to be provided by the project staff) by the end of the school year.
* The planning team must make a good faith effort to maintain the following timelines:
1) Steps 1-7 (through developing an action-plan) by December 31,2001
2) Steps 8-10 (initial implementation and evaluation) by June 30, 2002
Note: Individual differences in timelines can be negotiated.
What will the school get in exchange for their participation?
The school will receive:
* access to a field-tested planning process to help the school address challenges pertaining to paraeducator issues
* access to the most current information and research on paraeducator issues;
* access to other paraeducator sites on the internet;
* an opportunity to improve paraeducator services and capacity within your school;
* an opportunity to contribute to the growing national database of information on effective paraeducator strategies; and
* $1,000.00 paid to the school upon submission of the completed planning document (indicating implementation of your plan) and the feedback form (provided by the project). Payments are made in two $500 installments at the completion of Step 7 and Step 10.
Number of awards available: 21 (for the 2001-2002 school year)
Selection of award recipients: The first 21 schools meetings the established criteria will be accepted as mini-grant recipients. Preference will be given to schools from different school districts prior to funding multiple schools from the same school district. The project seeks schools at all age levels and representing varying demographics (e.g., size, location, population).
How will the information supplied by our school be used?
Information the school gathers for and supplies to the Project will be:
* used to refine and revise the action-planning process;
* used to identify needs and patterns of self-assessment pertaining to paraeducators in inclusive schools; and
* shared on the internet and through written documents (while maintaining the anonymity of the school and all individuals).
Applications are available in PDF format.
If you do not have Acrobat Reader 3.01 or higher you may download a copy of it for free!
Applications will be available on April 15, 2001
Grants will be awarded until all 21 grants have been filled. So, get your application in as soon as possible!
Notification will occur within two weeks of application submission.
Stephen Doll, Project Secretary
sdoll@zoo.uvm.edu or 802-656-1140
Michael F. Giangreco, Ph.D., Project Director
mgiangre@zoo.uvm.edu or 802-656-1144
Last modified February 14 2008 11:22 AM
