1. Partnership for Quality Preparation of Special Education Paraprofessionals in Community Colleges OSEP 2013 Project Directors’ Meeting

2. Presenters Rashida Banerjee, University of Northern Colorado Ritu Chopra, University of Colorado Denver Donna Sobel, University of Colorado Denver Deana Buck, Virginia Commonwealth University Kim Gregory, Virginia Western Community College Bob Algozzine, University of North Carolina at Charlotte Leigh Kale D’Amico, University of South Carolina

3. Collaborative 325N OSEP Projects Funded under 325N competition focused on:  Improving quality of existing certificates/associate degree programs for paraprofessionals serving students with disabilities in early intervention through high school Priorities:  Align curriculum with state/national paraprofessional standards  Incorporate evidence based and competency based practices into the content of each course including a high quality practicum experience  Train faculty at community colleges to teach the revised curriculum/practicum Two Cohorts (2010 and 2011) – six projects

4. Guiding Questions for Session How do faculty members embed special education content in early intervention/early childhood and K-12 courses to prepare paraprofessionals? How have collaborations between 2-year and 4- year higher education institutions enhanced the preparation of paraprofessionals in early intervention/early childhood and K-12 special education?

5. Carolinas University of South Carolina (Cohort 1)  To date, three technical colleges in differing geographic areas  More than 300 resources aligned with 11 courses at each colleges  Three overarching concepts  Inclusion  Individualization  Social Emotional Development  Website to encourage access

6. Carolinas University of North Carolina at Charlotte (Cohort 2)  To date, one large, urban community college  21 early childhood education courses infused with resources  Eight primary focus areas  Website to encourage access (www.acceptproject.org)

7. Colorado Collaboration with Colorado Community College System (CCCS) that oversees 13 community colleges to meet goals of three projects funded under 325N  Preparation of Paraeducators: Project Prep (Cohort 1) – k-12 focus  The use of CEC K-12 paraeducators standards to revise the K-12 paraeducator programs for matrix creation and curriculum review - 6 courses  Training and coaching of community college faculty to deliver the redesigned curricula.

8. Colorado  Hybrid Comprehensive Training of Paraprofessionals in Early Intervention Services (Cohort 1) – early intervention focus and Preparing Paraprofessionals for ECE (Cohort 2) with preschool focus  Creation of early intervention and early childhood paraprofessional standards based on national and state early childhood personnel standards  Revision of curriculum for the two categories of paraprofessionals – 17 courses and 13 courses respectively  Training of the faculty to for the projects - planning in progress.  Articulation with 4 year programs

9. Virginia Virginia Commonwealth University (Cohort 1)  9 community colleges across the state  6 courses modified through stakeholder participation and input  Required content and optional content for each course  Measuring change in student knowledge and faculty knowledge  Resources for faculty in multiple formats

10. Virginia Faculty Professional Development:  Driven by faculty needs assessment  Held on-site orientation and training for all staff  Held summits for all faculty  Offered 13 professional development events and activities this year

11. Discussion 11 QUESTIONS COMMENTS PERSPECTIVES EXAMPLES

12. Contact Information Carolinas Bob Algozzine - rfalgozz@uncc.edurfalgozz@uncc.edu Leigh Kale D’Amico - damico@mailbox.sc.edudamico@mailbox.sc.edu Colorado Ritu Chopra – ritu.chopra@ucdenver.eduritu.chopra@ucdenver.edu Rashida Banerjee - rashida.banerjee@unco.edurashida.banerjee@unco.edu Donna Sobel – donna.sobel@ucdenver.edudonna.sobel@ucdenver.edu Virginia Deana Buck - dmbuck@vcu.edudmbuck@vcu.edu Kim Gregory - kgregory@virginiawestern.edukgregory@virginiawestern.edu