UF’s CEEDAR Center Secures Additional $17.5 Million for Nationwide Effort
With a decade of marked success, this University of Florida-led effort has received an additional $17.5 million to support technical assistance efforts through 2027. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs has already invested $46.5 million in the Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability and Reform (CEEDAR) Center to improve teaching and school leadership for students with disabilities in states across the nation.
The center, which has been housed at UF since 2013, provides customized support to state departments of education and partnering educator preparation programs to develop effective teachers and leaders who can successfully prepare students with disabilities for college and career.
“We have steadily worked to move the needle for underserved learners and look forward to continuing in this vein with an even keener focus on students who are multiply marginalized based on intersecting social identities,” said Erica McCray, CEEDAR Center director and professor of special education. “Our focus remains on ensuring that each student is served by an effective, stable educator workforce that includes diverse teachers and leaders who are equipped to deliver a responsive education.”
The CEEDAR Center team at UF will continue to partner with national organizations, including the American Institutes of Research, the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, the Council for Exceptional Children, and Branch Alliance for Educator Diversity.
McCray, who also serves as the college’s Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Community Engagement, said the center is thrilled to continue providing technical assistance to states that are committed to improving outcomes for students with disabilities.
“The CEEDAR Center, its leadership and partners, has had tremendous impact on education across the nation” said College of Education Dean Glenn Good. “This third round of funding is evidence of the center’s continued effectiveness, demonstrating the power of research conducted here at the University of Florida.”
Tags: funding
