University of Lynchburg has received an $8,290 grant from the Virginia Department of Education to provide graduate level special education courses to special education teachers employed by public school divisions in VDOE Regions 5, 6, and 8, (the counties of Amherst, Bedford, Campbell, Charlotte, Franklin, Halifax, Henry, Nelson, Pittsylvania, and Rockbridge, and the cities of Danville, Lynchburg, and Martinsville.)
The grant will enable 10 teachers who hold a provisional special education license to enroll in 30 required courses leading to endorsement in Special Education-General Curriculum K-12.
The grant will run from July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017 and will provide significant state and College tuition support for the designated courses. These courses may be taken on a non-degree-seeking basis, but they also are applicable to University of Lynchburg’s master’s degree program for Special Education.
Previously, University of Lynchburg has received a series of grants from the VDOE to help with the Commonwealth’s response to the significant shortage of highly qualified special educators. In the past five years, these grants have supported 34 teachers taking a total of 77 graduate courses in pursuit of special education endorsements, and eight of those teachers completed their endorsements. During that same time, 100 or more professionals have earned special education endorsements without those grants but often with financial aid from LC.
For more information, please call Dr. Paula Lichiello at 434.544.8464 or email her at lichiello@lynchburg.edu, or call Dr. Ed Polloway at 434-544-8655, or email him at polloway@lynchburg.edu.
