Leadership for Personnel Leadership for Personnel Development: State, Local Development: State, Local

and Higher Ed collaborationand Higher Ed collaboration

Phoebe Gillespie, Ph. D.Phoebe Gillespie, Ph. D.DirectorDirector

The National Center for Special Education Personnel and The National Center for Special Education Personnel and Related Service Providers Related Service Providers

@ NASDSE@ NASDSE

Can the State DOE do it alone?Can the State DOE do it alone?

Districts deal with the problems and need Districts deal with the problems and need to implement solutions.to implement solutions.

States can assist in identifying problems States can assist in identifying problems and implementing solutions.and implementing solutions.

Higher Ed can help bridge the gap Higher Ed can help bridge the gap between supply and demand.between supply and demand.

Focus Areas for Collaboration on Focus Areas for Collaboration on Personnel NeedsPersonnel Needs

Data Planning and Management Data Planning and Management involves all three partner- State, locals and IHEs.involves all three partner- State, locals and IHEs.

Strategic Action PlanningStrategic Action Planning should reflect wide, diverse stakeholder input and should reflect wide, diverse stakeholder input and

involvement.involvement. Recruitment Recruitment

is everyone’s job!is everyone’s job! Personnel Preparation Personnel Preparation

can provide innovative program development and can provide innovative program development and delivery. delivery.

Retention Retention happens at the building level, but is clearly influenced happens at the building level, but is clearly influenced

by the quality of preparation.by the quality of preparation.

State Models for State Models for Leadership in Personnel Leadership in Personnel

DevelopmentDevelopment

Personnel Development Personnel Development Strategic Action PlanningStrategic Action Planning

Challenges and BarriersChallenges and Barriers Image of the special educator is a deterrent to Image of the special educator is a deterrent to

recruiting persons to the field.recruiting persons to the field. Working conditions, lack of administrative Working conditions, lack of administrative

support and need for high quality special ed-support and need for high quality special ed-specific mentoring programs are major specific mentoring programs are major contributors to both attrition and lack of persons contributors to both attrition and lack of persons coming into prep programs.coming into prep programs.

Financial aid is lacking for interested candidates.Financial aid is lacking for interested candidates. Prep program entry requirements and lack of Prep program entry requirements and lack of

access to prep coursework and programs deter access to prep coursework and programs deter minority candidates from entering field.minority candidates from entering field.

SolutionsSolutions

State staff must take leadership to both plan State staff must take leadership to both plan and implement. and implement. Designated state staff to assist the taskforce in Designated state staff to assist the taskforce in

completing the plan (NJ).completing the plan (NJ). Funding to pay for the implementation work to be Funding to pay for the implementation work to be

completed (CA SIG, KY).completed (CA SIG, KY). State resources to fund a “state recruiter” for special ed State resources to fund a “state recruiter” for special ed

personnel (RI SIG).personnel (RI SIG). District buy-in is essential to implementation District buy-in is essential to implementation

assist in bringing other local staff on board. assist in bringing other local staff on board. State staff must have working relationships with district State staff must have working relationships with district

staff at the HR, special ed director and superintendent staff at the HR, special ed director and superintendent levels.levels.

Higher ed is the lynch-pin in making Higher ed is the lynch-pin in making solutions work at both the state and district solutions work at both the state and district level.level. Try innovative approaches (RI, NJ)Try innovative approaches (RI, NJ) Assist districts in PD and training of Assist districts in PD and training of

administrators for support (NH, NJ)administrators for support (NH, NJ) Act as leaders in bringing new recruits into the Act as leaders in bringing new recruits into the

field (RI, NH and MA)field (RI, NH and MA)

SolutionsSolutions