Grants at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, and Other Minority Serving Institutions to Diversify Personnel Serving Children with Disabilities

Overview

The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2024 for Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities Program—Preservice Development Grants at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, and Other Minority Serving Institutions to Diversify Personnel Serving Children with Disabilities.

Purpose of Program:

The purposes of this program are to (1) help address State-identified needs for personnel preparation in special education, early intervention, related services, and regular education to work with children, including infants, toddlers, and youth with disabilities; and (2) ensure that those personnel have the necessary skills and knowledge, derived from practices that have been determined through scientifically based research, to be successful in serving those children.

Absolute Priority: Preservice Development Grants at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, and Other Minority Serving Institutions To Diversify Personnel Serving Children With Disabilities.

Secretary’s Supplemental Priority 3: Supporting a Diverse Educator Workforce and Professional Growth to Strengthen Student Learning, published in the Federal Register on December 10, 2021 (86 FR 70612). The purpose of this priority is to fund Preservice Development Grants at HBCUs,1 TCCUs,2 and MSIs 3 to Diversify Personnel Serving Children with Disabilities. OSEP may fund out of rank order applications from HBCUs and TCCUs to increase the number of funded applications from these institutions.

Projects are expected to achieve, at a minimum, the following expected outcomes:
(a) Increased number of early intervention, early childhood special education, special education, or related services 4 personnel who are multilingual and from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds, and who have the competencies to work with infants, toddlers, children and youth (children) with disabilities and their families within early intervention, early childhood programs, or school settings;

(b) Increased variety of degrees, including associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, educational specialist degrees, and clinical doctorate degrees, and certifications 5 in early intervention, early childhood special education, special education, and related services offered at HBCUs, TCCUs, and MSIs; and

(c) Increased faculty capacity at HBCUs, TCCUs, and MSIs to design and deliver programs of study in early intervention, early childhood special education, special education, and related services.