Special Education Learning Behavioral Specialist -1 (LBS-1)

The Special Education Learning Behavioral Specialist -1 programs are high quality teacher preparation programs that: integrate a strong theoretical foundation with current research findings; provide realistic, effective and humanistic pedagogical practices; and inspire students to acquire knowledge and skills and encourages their curiosity and creativity. These programs prepare educational personnel to be knowledgeable and competent practitioners, dedicated to serving the educational needs of students of widely varying abilities and backgrounds. These programs also prepare responsible participants in the quest for improvement of the nation's schools and the teaching profession.

Program Goal

The goal of the Special Education Learning Behavioral Specialist programs are to prepare highly qualified educators who are professionally and ethically equipped to provide students with disabilities with an education that is designed to enable them to maximize their potentials and assume dignified and productive roles in the society.

 

Grants

Funded by US Department of Education Grant # H325K170158

The College of Education /Special Education Master's Degree Program and Department of Occupational Therapy at Chicago State University (CSU) were awarded a five-year grant of $1.2 million from the U.S.  Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Service (OSERS) to implement the Promoting Effective Educational Relationships in Schools (PEERS) project. This project was developed to address the shortage of qualified special education and related service personnel to work with children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs.

In addition to meeting the need for increased highly qualified school personnel, the PEERS project will also address the need for improved educational services and outcomes for children who have high-intensity needs through interdisciplinary preparation training of special education teachers and occupational therapy related service personnel.

 To be eligible to apply for this training grant, teacher applicants must meet the following criteria:

•  Hold an initial or standard Illinois teaching certificate;
•  Provide proof of a passing score on the Illinois Certification Test of Basic Skills/TAP test;
•  Admission to the College of Education & the Special Education Learning Behavioral Specialist–I (LBS-I) Master’s Degree Program      
•  Good academic standing with at least a minimum overall GPA of 3.0;
•  Completion of the PEERS Grant Application including submission of a personal statement,  transcripts, and a letter of support from the school principal agreeing to let the teacher candidate complete his/her internship experience in the school where he/she works; and
•  Completion of a PEERS interview with grant personnel.

 To be eligible to apply for this training grant, Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) applicants must meet the following criteria:

•  Admission to the MOT program;
•  Currently in Year II of the Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) program;
•  Good academic standing with at least a minimum overall GPA of 3.0
•  Completion of the PEERS Grant Application including submission of a personal statement and transcripts;
•  Completion of a PEERS interview with grant personnel.

 

PEERS Scholars will be eligible to receive 1-1/2 years or 4 semesters of support which includes the following:

•   Tuition, fees
•  Books
• Conference support

 The PEERS project will provide a targeted set of shared coursework, assignments, and coordinated practicum experiences that foster collaboration between the Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) and the Master of Special Education Learning Behavioral Specialist - I (LBS-I) curriculums.

 In addition to completing the standard LBS-I or MOT curriculum, PEERS recipients will:

•  Complete an interdisciplinary course targeting planning and adapting instruction for children with a variety of special needs.
•  Participate in an induction/mentoring program which includes completing online discussion boards with CSU OT, special education faculty, and project mentors to examine issues related to special education and servicing children with disabilities.
•  Design and disseminate an online seminar (e.g., webinar, podcast) related to evidence-based service delivery for children with disabilities.
•  Complete a collaborative fieldwork/internship placement in a school-based setting.
•  Implement a faculty-mentored research project related to children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs children.
•  Disseminate results of research project at the annual PEERS conference.
•   For more information, please contact: 

 

 

Department of Occupational Therapy	College of Education/Special Education Program
Dr. Regina Smith Project Director Department of Occupational Therapy DH132 rsmith31@csu.edu 773-995-2531	Dr. Florah Luseno Project Co-director College of Education ED319 fluseno@csu.edu 773-995-2078

 

 

This project is supported by US Department of Education Personnel Preparation

Grant # H325K170158. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of HHS.