In hopes of funding programs that will prepare teachers to serve children with low incidence disabilities, Professor George Singer of the Gevirtz School submitted a grant proposal for UC Santa Barbara’s Department of Special Education. He in turn was rewarded with $200,000 a year for four years from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). As there is a drastic shortage of teachers for children with disabilities, the grant intends to pay tuition and fees for 40 new special education teachers over the next four years – primarily to members of underrepresented groups in the profession.
“It is gratifying to see our program recognized in this way and I’m pleased to be able to help the students out, as most of them go into debt to enter a profession that is not high paying,” said Dr. Singer upon learning about the grant. The OSEP provides funds based on a competitive process, favoring colleges and universities that have been designated as minority-serving institutions by the US Department of Education.