COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 180

September 2, 2005

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	Tuition Assistance for Early Childhood Special Educators

The Department of Education has budgeted a portion of Virginia's Section 619 Preschool Grant funds to provide tuition assistance up to $600 per course for a maximum of three courses per year for early childhood special educators. These funds are available to the following personnel who have a full-time contract with a school division for the 2005-2006 school year and are not participating in a special education personnel preparation program funded by the Virginia Department of Education: special educators holding a 3-year nonrenewable or 5-year renewable license with an early childhood special education endorsement; licensed teachers seeking an early childhood special education endorsement; certain speech-language pathologists; and full-time special education paraprofessionals assisting students with disabilities ages birth to five.

Eligible teachers are those individuals who are enrolled in graduate-level courses meeting competencies in the early childhood endorsement area. Eligible speech and language pathologists are those for whom preschoolers with disabilities make up at least 50 percent of their caseloads and who are enrolled in graduate-level coursework directly related to the area in which they are providing services or in early childhood special education. Eligible paraprofessionals are those individuals who are employed full-time in an early childhood special education program and are enrolled in undergraduate or graduate-level coursework related to the early childhood special education area.

The funding period for this activity ends Thursday, August 31, 2006. If the number of applications received exceeds funds available, tuition assistance will be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis, according to the postmark stamped on the application envelope.

Completed tuition assistance applications should be submitted to the Department of Education immediately after enrollment and prior to completion of the course. No applications will be considered after the last day on which a course is offered.

If you have questions regarding eligibility for the tuition assistance, please contact Dr. Patricia Burgess, specialist for special education human resources development, Division of Teacher Education and Licensure, at (pat.burgess@doe.virginia.gov) or (804) 225-2096. The attached 2005-2006 Application for Tuition Assistance can be faxed to (804) 786-6759 or mailed to:

Dr. Patricia D. Burgess

Virginia Department of Education

P. O. Box 2120

Richmond, VA 23218-2120

JLD/pdb

Attachment

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/administrators/superintendents_memos/2005/inf180a.pdf