| Overview, 2004-2005 - Collaborative Professional Development/ Adult Learning: State-Based and Cross-State Communities of Practice |
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Through its funding from the federal Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), The IDEA Partnership provides stimulus funds to States to organize local professional and consumer development on key aspects of improving results for students with disabilities. This is part of The Partnership’s strategy for facilitating State collaboration to (a) share important work with a range of stakeholders in meaningful ways, (b) acknowledge the expertise of practitioners and families, and (c) develop mutual trust between decision makers and those who are affected by decisions. State agencies may participate by responding to requests for proposals. Partner organizations that choose to work on this activity may (a) assist in developing requests for proposals; (b) review and select proposals submitted by States; (c) join in planning with their State/local affiliates and State agencies; (d) identify members of their constituencies who can act as trainers or facilitators; and/or (e) ensure that their members are included as participants in training and followup activities. Development/Adult Learning Projects: 2004-2005 In March 2004, The Partnership issued a request for proposals for "Building a Professional Development System That Supports the Shared Implementation of IDEA," which had been prepared by individuals from 20 partner organizations and edited by representatives of 29. The goals are to: (a) improve the quality of professional development; (b) bring important stakeholders into training activities; (c) build collaborative relationships; (d) make cross-stakeholder work a consistent part of States' activities; and (e) create good models of collaborative delivery of professional development. Proposals were submitted in June 2004, and a review team from 12 partner organizations approved the plans of the first set of States. The State education agency or other lead agency in each State has received a $10,000 seed grant to leverage additional funds for the projects that were approved. Each proposal described current and anticipated collaboration, and agreed to work with selected partner organizations of The IDEA Partnership. Essentially, these projects create (a) a Community of Practice across the eleven States and (b) cross-stakeholder Communities of Practice within each of these States. The duration of these State projects is for one year from August 2004. (The IDEA Partnership will issue future RFPs for State professional development projects each year through 2007.) In addition to facilitating communications and feedback loops across the State projects, The IDEA Partnership (a) connects them with national organizations and their affiliates, with which they may collaborate in various ways; (b) supports the work of participating partner organizations; and (c) provides customized technical assistance to each State team, on request. Since August 2004, representatives of the State collaboration projects and partner organizations have participated in regularly scheduled conference calls with The IDEA Partnership for planning and information sharing. The initial adult learning/professional development projects are in various stages of development. Ultimately, these State collaborations will demonstrate the results of action research on what has been learned about working with stakeholders in genuine partnerships over time. Meanwhile, continuing updates of these States’ Living Records, which chronicle their activities, are available by clicking on the State’s name at: (Linked Resource) Collaborative Professional Development/Adult Learning: Links to Web-Based Information Used by The IDEA Partnership’s Projects, Updated in April 2005 (Linked Resource) Request for Proposals from The IDEA Partnership, March 2004: Building a Professional Development System That Supports the Shared Implementation of IDEA. (Linked Resource) American Association of People with Disabilities American Federation of Teachers American Occupational Therapy Association American School Counselors Association American School Health Association American Society for Deaf Children American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Council of Administrators of Special Education/CEC Council of Chief State School Officers Division for Early Childhood/CEC Division on Career Development and Transition/CEC Easter Seals Federation for Children with Special Needs Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health Fiesta Educativa IDEA Infant and Toddler Coordinators Association (Part C) Learning Disabilities Association of America National Alliance of Black School Educators National Association of Elementary School Principals National Association of School Psychologists National Association of Secondary School Principals National Association of State Directors of Special Education National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education National Conference of State Legislatures National Education Association Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education PACER Center School Social Work Association of America TASH The Arc of the United States United Cerebral Palsy Association Citation: IDEA Partnership. (2005). Overview, 2004-2005 – Collaborative professional development/adult learning: State-based and cross-state communities of practice. Alexandria, VA: National Association of State Directors of Special Education. Retrieved from (Linked Resource) |
