Contact: Sammy McDavid
Having assisted some 50 individuals so far, a Mississippi State scholarship program that enables teachers to obtain special education certification is beginning its third year.
"Project Response" was launched in 1999 through a $600,000 U.S. Department of Education grant to the university's department of curriculum and instruction. The program is designed specifically for teachers with emergency certificates who wish to complete the special education endorsement but are having difficulty completing the required courses.
Mississippi Valley State University and the universities of Mississippi and Southern Mississippi are cooperating with MSU in delivering the courses via the statewide Mississippi Star Schools Network. In addition to making classes available at convenient locations, the grant to MSU pays tuition for the 18 semester hours needed for certification in mild and moderate disabilities.
"Currently employed teachers on emergency certificates who wish to complete the special education endorsement often have difficulty accessing the courses they need, especially if they live in areas distant from four-year college or university campuses," said project director S. John Obringer. "Completing that additional work also can be costly."
Certification obtained through the program "is only temporary," Obringer added. "Those desiring to remain in special education must complete additional course work in order to be fully certified," he emphasized.
Summer fieldwork is required of all participants and may be completed at any of the four cooperating universities. Frank Elrod, Obringer's MSU departmental colleague and co-author of the grant proposal, is fieldwork coordinator.
For more information or application packets, telephone (662) 325-0815; fax 325-7857.