Final Priorities and Definitions; State Personnel Development Grants

The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services announces two priorities for State Personnel Development Grants (SPDGs): Effective and Efficient Delivery of Professional Development (Priority 1) and Targeting Teachers' Professional Development Needs Based on Student Growth (Priority 2). The Assistant Secretary may use one or more of these priorities for competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2012 and later years. The Assistant Secretary also announces definitions applicable to this program and these priorities. We take this action to assist State educational agencies (SEAs) to make their systems of professional development more effective and efficient by providing evidence-based and ongoing professional development that uses technology to support the implementation of evidence-based practices and to assist local educational agencies (LEAs) in providing professional development targeted to meet the specific needs of teachers identified by teacher evaluation systems that take into account student growth as a significant factor in determining performance levels. We intend to use these priorities to improve educational services and outcomes for children with disabilities.

Agency Contact: Jennifer Coffey, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 4097, Potomac Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2600. Telephone: (202) 245-6673 or by email: jennifer.coffey@ed.gov.