Professors Awarded Grant from the United States Department of Education
Truman State University professors Dale Blesz, Pete Kelly, and Sam Minner were recently awarded an $800,000 personnel preparation grant from the United States Department of Education. The funds will be used to prepare 60 high quality and fully certified special educators to serve mildly disabled students in the state of Missouri. All of the students prepared in the “PRAXIS Program” will be specifically prepared to provide services in integrated settings. While the program will continue to recruit students from within the Truman State University student body, it has also established specific goals to recruit graduates from other institutions, including those from underrepresented groups.
A hallmark of the program is the professional development school model, in which Truman faculty partner with Kirksville R-III teachers in providing on-site teacher preparation, collaborative professional development, and action research opportunities for teaching interns, university faculty, and mentor teachers. Upon graduation, each PRAXIS student will be fully certified to instruct children and adolescents with learning disabilities, mild mental retardation, and behavior disorders in grades K-12.
The grant will fully fund tuition, books, and related expenses for as many as 15 students for each of the next four years.
A hallmark of the program is the professional development school model, in which Truman faculty partner with Kirksville R-III teachers in providing on-site teacher preparation, collaborative professional development, and action research opportunities for teaching interns, university faculty, and mentor teachers. Upon graduation, each PRAXIS student will be fully certified to instruct children and adolescents with learning disabilities, mild mental retardation, and behavior disorders in grades K-12.
The grant will fully fund tuition, books, and related expenses for as many as 15 students for each of the next four years.
