Program Overview:
The U.S. Department of Education
has awarded Northern Arizona University (NAU) College of Education a grant to
prepare Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Special Education Doctoral Students.
The FIRST grant will fund Hispanic or Native American individuals, including
individuals with disabilities. This program will provide 12 students the opportunity
to earn a doctorate in education (Ed. D.) in Curriculum and Instruction with
a concentration in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Special Education beginning
in Spring 2004 and ending by December 2007. This innovative program will allow
these individuals to keep their positions in local school districts during the
school year, while taking courses through distance education and through intensive
doctoral studies in Flagstaff during the summers.
Public schools currently face serious
shortages of special education teachers, particularly in rural and inner city
schools. The FIRST grant is intended to assist schools in meeting the need for
special educators by preparing additional culturally diverse special education
higher education faculty to assist in teacher preparation. FIRST program graduates
will be prepared and expected to take positions in departments of special education
at colleges or universities.
The grant will provide funding to the
12 doctoral students for tuition, books, travel to Flagstaff in the summer,
family campus housing in the summer, and a small summer living expense stipend.
In addition, the grant provides support to the 12 FIRST doctoral students through
faculty research mentors, doctoral student mentors, travel to national conferences,
and enrichment seminars with nationally known researchers in bilingual special
education.
| Prerequisites for FIRST doctoral candidates in addition to requirements for admission into the NAU C& I doctoral program: | |
| 1. | Native American or Mexican American cultural background. |
| 2. | Two or more years teaching experience as a fully certified special education teacher (need documentation from Special Education Director of your role as a teacher whose primary responsibility was in special education as well as a copy of special education teaching certificate). |
| FIRST Timeline: | |
| August
2003 – September 2003 |
Recruitment and informational meetings |
| October 15, 2003 | All applicants need to have completed Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or Graduate Record Exam (GRE) |
| November 1, 2003 | Deadline for NAU to receive names for required C& I List of References/Recommendations as specified in the C & I FIRST Doctoral Handbook (page 2 Admission Process) |
| November 20, 2003 | Deadline for Application to NAU Graduate College, $45 application fee is non-refundable. |
| December 15, 2003 | Deadline for NAU to receive all FIRST and C & I Portfolio application materials including MAT or GRE test scores. |
| January 2004 | C & I Admissions Committee and FIRST Screening Committee review applications and make selections |
| February 1, 2004 | Application decision and notification to individuals receiving FIRST grant funding. |
| February 7, 2004 | Deadline for NAU to receive FIRST doctoral student contracts |
| February 15, 2004 | Coursework begin |
| FIRST Doctoral Program Tentative Schedule of Classes | |
| Spring
|
ESE
520 Bilingual Multicultural Aspects of Special Education(WEB)Begins Feb.
15 |
| Summer 2004: |
EPS 525 Introduction
to Statistics, (Flagstaff) |
| Fall 2004: |
EDR 610 Introduction
to Research, (WEB) ECI 710 Contexts of Schooling, (WEB) |
Spring |
ESE 603 Inclusive Collaborative Methods
for CLDE, (WEB) |
| Summer 2005: |
EPS 625 Intermediate Statistics, (Flagstaff) |
| ESE
685 Graduate Research: CLDE Single Subject Design/Research, (Flagstaff) |
|
| Fall 2005: |
EDR 720 Research Design (WEB) |
Spring |
EDL 722 Legal Aspects of School Administration
(WEB) |
Summer 2006: |
ESE 798 Dissertation Seminar, (Flagstaff) |
| Fall |
ECI 771 Curriculum and Instruction in
Higher Education, (WEB Enhanced) |
| Spring |
ESE 796 Internship (Higher Education
Teaching) |
| Summer 2007: |
ESE 799 Dissertation |
| Fall 2007: | ESE 799 Dissertation |
For more information contact:
Lela Montfort
FIRST GRANT Administrative Coordinator
College of Education
Northern Arizona University
Box 5774
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
Phone 928-523-0677
Fax 928-523-1929
Email Lela.Montfort@nau.edu
Principal Investigator, FIRST Grant
Dr. Patricia Peterson
Phone 928-523-4005
Email patricia.peterson@nau.edu
Curriculum and Instruction Doctoral Program Coordinator
Dr. Stephen Lapan
Phone 928-523-3480
Email Stephen.lapan@nau.edu
All FIRST grant application information can be found at: www.nau.edu/ci-doc. You must use Internet Explorer. If you do not have access to Internet Explorer, please contact Lela Montfort, listed above.
Mail completed application to:
FIRST Grant Program Application
Educational Specialties Department, NAU
PO Box 5774
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ 86011