08 Apr2014

University of Florida Launches CEEDAR Center for Teaching Students With Disabilities

The College of Education at the University of Florida last week announced the launch of a new center on “Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform”—also known as the CEEDAR Center—focused on supporting states in developing teachers to prepare students with disabilities for college and careers. CEEDAR is funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs, receiving $15 million over 3 years with the possibility of receiving additional funds for an additional 2 years.

The center will provide in-depth direct technical assistance to five states, known as “intensive states,” and general assistance to “target states” for the first year of operation. CEEDAR will add five intensive states per year and expand the number of target states receiving assistance with the goal of reaching 15-25 intensive states over the next 3-5 years.

CEEDAR will provide direct support to selected institutions and state education leaders to help states strengthen their standards and methods for preparing, licensing, and evaluating teachers and school leaders to help students with disabilities achieve college and career standards. The state teams consist of a diverse stakeholder group, including representation from schools of education, with the goal of supporting policy and programmatic change.

The following states will receive intensive support this year: