Details

Purpose:

The legislature has provided an on-going budget allocation of $12 million annually to build capacity within SELPAs, COEs, and LEAs to address this specific need. Through this request for applications (RFA), chosen special education resource leads will become important members of the SSOS, to provide more targeted support related to special education and the education of students with disabilities.

Description:

No more than ten (10) Special Education Resource Leads will be selected and will join a statewide leadership team, which includes the CDE, the CCEE, and the State Board of Education (SBE). The Special Education Resource Leads will work collaboratively with the SSOS, other COEs, SELPAs, districts, charter schools, and external partners such as family support organizations or any other educational partners that would benefit from these resources, to build the capacity of the system at the local and regional levels to improve outcomes for students with disabilities. They will do this through providing training in and supporting the use of best practices, as well as evidence-based practices in root cause analyses, systems alignment, and coherence. These practices will serve as the foundation for LEAs to ultimately improve educational outcomes for students with disabilities (SWD). Equitable access to high quality technical assistance and resources shall be made available across the state. Resources developed must be made available to the California Technical Assistance Network (CalTAN).

Partnerships with COEs, SELPAs, districts, charters, or partners such as Family Empowerment Centers are encouraged, and applicants collectively must demonstrate how they will build capacity in regional and local entities throughout the state to improve outcomes for SWD.

To develop and build foundational knowledge and capacity in systems improvement processes, applicants for the Special Education Resource Leads should be prepared to explain how they will collaborate with the CDE, CCEE, the SSOS, and other state agencies.

Individually and collectively, all grantees will be responsible for the following:

Effectively build the capacity of LEAs to improve outcomes for SWD and support their families.1. Extend equity of access to high quality technical assistance and resources statewide.2. Provide support to both LEAs with identified needs, including LEAs identified by the CDE as needing assistance through CIM and DA, as well as those who opt-in for continuous improvement support.3. Develop, support, and participate in a robust communication network amongst all entities in the Statewide System of Support, including the state agencies and other leads.4. Establish qualitative and quantitative goals to evaluate the capacity built within LEAs statewide to provide high-quality assistance and expertise to member LEAs across multiple measures.5. Participate in a network with other agencies serving in the SSOS and serve as a conduit in connecting LEAs to the other branches of the system.6. Facilitate integration and partnerships across all levels of the system (SELPA, COE, to LEA, to individual classrooms).7. Submit all newly developed and ongoing resources to CDE for upload to the California Technical Assistance Network (CalTAN), including any updates to previous resources.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Applicants:

• Public Agency

Special Education Local Plan Areas (SELPAs), County Offices of Education (COEs), or a coalition thereof.