Leadership for Personnel Development: State, Local and Higher Ed collaboration Phoebe Gillespie, Ph. D. Director The National Center for Special Education Personnel and Related Service NASDSE

Can the State DOE do it alone?  Districts deal with the problems and need to implement solutions.  States can assist in identifying problems and implementing solutions.  Higher Ed can help bridge the gap between supply and demand.

Focus Areas for Collaboration on Personnel Needs  Data Planning and Management involves all three partner- State, locals and IHEs. involves all three partner- State, locals and IHEs.  Strategic Action Planning should reflect wide, diverse stakeholder input and involvement. should reflect wide, diverse stakeholder input and involvement.  Recruitment is everyone’s job! is everyone’s job!  Personnel Preparation can provide innovative program development and delivery. can provide innovative program development and delivery.  Retention happens at the building level, but is clearly influenced by the quality of preparation. happens at the building level, but is clearly influenced by the quality of preparation.

State Models for Leadership in Personnel Development

Personnel Development Strategic Action Planning Challenges and Barriers  Image of the special educator is a deterrent to recruiting persons to the field.  Working conditions, lack of administrative support and need for high quality special ed- specific mentoring programs are major contributors to both attrition and lack of persons coming into prep programs.  Financial aid is lacking for interested candidates.  Prep program entry requirements and lack of access to prep coursework and programs deter minority candidates from entering field.

Solutions  State staff must take leadership to both plan and implement. Designated state staff to assist the taskforce in completing the plan (NJ). Designated state staff to assist the taskforce in completing the plan (NJ). Funding to pay for the implementation work to be completed (CA SIG, KY). Funding to pay for the implementation work to be completed (CA SIG, KY). State resources to fund a “state recruiter” for special ed personnel (RI SIG). State resources to fund a “state recruiter” for special ed personnel (RI SIG).  District buy-in is essential to implementation assist in bringing other local staff on board. State staff must have working relationships with district staff at the HR, special ed director and superintendent levels. State staff must have working relationships with district staff at the HR, special ed director and superintendent levels.

 Higher ed is the lynch-pin in making solutions work at both the state and district level. Try innovative approaches (RI, NJ) Try innovative approaches (RI, NJ) Assist districts in PD and training of administrators for support (NH, NJ) Assist districts in PD and training of administrators for support (NH, NJ) Act as leaders in bringing new recruits into the field (RI, NH and MA) Act as leaders in bringing new recruits into the field (RI, NH and MA) Solutions