Workforce Ready

Overview

Office of Special Education (OSEP) 325N Personnel Preparation Grant
Grant Project Name: Workforce Ready: Supporting Community College Faculty to Prepare Scholars Serving Diverse Young Children with Disabilities
"The demand for personnel prepared with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to support IDEA-eligible young children in community-based settings continues to increase with need far exceeding capacity, particularly in Virginia's rural communities."
Aims to promote equity in Early Childhood Education by:
- Enhancing the Virginia Community College System's curriculum to empower AAS-ECD degree graduates for leadership and advocacy roles, ensuring equitable decisions on inclusion.
- Expanding articulation agreements for AAS-ECD graduates in rural communities, including those from diverse backgrounds, to pursue a 4-year degree. This will boost their eligibility for higher pay and more professional opportunities.

Major Activities

Intensive, evidence-based technical assistance and professional development to enhance and deliver an AAS-ECD program to prepare graduates to serve young children with delays and disabilities and their families in community settings

Target Audience

Faculty members of four rural, low-resourced community colleges with plans to expand to Virginia's full community college system by the end of the grant

Funding Source

OSEP; 5 year grant 10/1/23-9/30/28; approximately $1 mil

Contact

Cori Hill
cfhill@vcu.edu

Christine Spence
spencecm@vcu.edu