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Building Rural Schools’ Mental Health Professional Pipeline

Department of Educational Psychology and CounselingEducation and SocietyResearch and DiscoveryUncategorized

Appeared in ACCOLADES: The University of Tennessee’s College of Education, Health & Human Sciences

July 3, 2024

Rural landscape at dawn with morning mist floating over a field.

There’s a cloud of increased anxiety and other mental health issues looming over childhood. That cloud grew with the pandemic and is continuing to loom because of a critical national shortage of mental health professionals in schools.

But there is a bright spot on the horizon for some school districts in rural Tennessee and rural Appalachia. Two grants awarded to programs within the college aim to alleviate the shortage and help drive away this cloud over our kids. Both programs serve as a pipeline to increase the flow and retention of highly trained mental health professionals into these areas.

Project RAISE

A five-year, $12 million US Department of Education grant was awarded in January 2023 to UT’s Center for Literacy, Education, and Employment through the Tennessee Department of Education. It focuses funds on enticing and paying graduate-level school psychology, school social work, and school counselor interns to work in rural schools across the state. Research leading into the project, called Rural Access to Interventions in School Environments (RAISE), painted a clear picture of the dire situation.

“Almost 44.6 percent of our rural school districts across the state of Tennessee didn’t have a full-time mental health provider, which is pretty critical,” says April Ebbinger, director of psychological and behavioral supports for the Tennessee Department of Education, state principal investigator, and Project RAISE director. “We needed to find ways to remove barriers to get these providers out to the rural districts.”

One big barrier is that mental health internships that are required to graduate often offer little or no pay. Project RAISE breaks that barrier with stipends ranging from $15,000 to $40,000 to students who participate in the training and internship program.

“CLEE pays those stipends, and that’s where the bulk of the funds are going. Funds also go toward professional development, in-person training, and as another incentive, interns are given memberships within our state organizations and registration fees for state organization conferences, which they might not normally have the funds to do,” says Lisa Crawford, CLEE associate director and Project RAISE’s principal investigator at UT.

The Tennessee project partners include UT, Middle Tennessee State University, the University of Memphis, and the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga. CLEE manages the program for the entire state at the direction of Ebbinger.

In addition to normal classwork, Project RAISE trainees receive a year of training developed by content experts from the project’s university partners. When the students are on the job in a rural school, an onsite mental health professional supervisor fields day-to-day questions. Ongoing training and professional development opportunities, accessible professors, the content experts, and CLEE staff provide additional support.

Project RAISE has placed 23 interns in rural Tennessee schools with more students in the training pipeline.

“Ninety of Tennessee’s 95 counties are considered rural. About 60 school districts are currently participating. The project will ultimately take in 70 interns per year,” says Ebbinger.

In return for training and financial support, newly minted graduates will work for two years in a high-need school in Tennessee. The hope is that the graduate eventually settles in a rural Tennessee school district.

“Our goal is to give them the financial and professional support they need to keep them in these communities where they see families at church and at the grocery store. We start to move the marker with mental health outcomes when these providers build relationships not only with their clientele, the students, but also with the families and the communities at large,” says Ebbinger.

The Rural Appalachian Mental Health Partnership Targets High-Need Schools

The US Department of Education invited institutions of higher education to apply for similar funding through a separate grant. UT’s Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling did just that—with a focus on high-need, rural Appalachian schools.

The Rural Appalachian Mental Health Partnership program was awarded a $4 million grant to recruit and train six school counseling/dual track RAMHP Scholars and six school psychology RAMHP Scholars each year of the five-year grant, for a total of 60 students. RAMHP places the Scholars, who are trained in serving the mental health needs of rural students, in its Cocke County, Grainger County, Greene County, and Newport City partner schools. Many school districts rely on contracted mental health professionals to fill the need.

“There are districts that email me every year wanting to hire a school psychologist, and they just have difficulty finding one and hiring one,” says Merilee McCurdy, professor and principal investigator for RAMHP.

The RAMHP program provides $10,000 scholarships in the first year and $20,000 in the second year along with travel and expense stipends. Following graduation, the RAMHP scholars serve two years in a school district identified by the program as high-need, low income, having a high student-to-counselor/student-to-school psychologist ratio, or significant student mental health needs.

For some students, working in rural Appalachia is a calling they hadn’t expected. The RAMHP training has led school counseling graduate student Ana Sustaita to see that she and other counselors can make a huge contribution to rural Appalachian schools—one student at a time.

“We are the trusted adult that a kid needs. They can talk to me, and I can advocate for them,” says Sustaita.

With Project RAISE and RAMHP recruiting and training students, soon rural Tennessee and rural Appalachian school districts looking to hire mental health professionals will have highly trained, committed and community-minded candidates in the pipeline ready and eager to serve.

Learn more about applying: ProjectRaiseTN.com | RAMHP

A photo of teachers at work around a conference table

Teaching The Whole Child

Appeared in Our Tennessee, April 4, 2024 | View Original Article

By Macy Roberts | Courtesy Photos

Special educators and general educators work together to create plans to ensure students with disabilities receive high-quality instruction.
Special educators and general educators work together to create plans to ensure students with disabilities receive high-quality instruction.

The Center for Literacy, Education and Employment (CLEE) at UT Knoxville aims to ensure all students possess the knowledge, skills and opportunities needed to flourish in the classroom. The center’s work touches the lives of students across the state but especially students with disabilities.

With a budget of $9 million from federal and state funds, the Access for All Learning Network (AALN) is the center’s largest initiative impacting literacy across the state. It originated as a $5.5 million State Personnel Development Grant the U.S. Department of Education awarded the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) in 2015, says CLEE Director Angela Wegner.

“That grant was to ensure that we were supporting students with disabilities,” she says. “One, in the general education space, but then also making sure that we had strong instructional practices in special education intervention.”

Following the conclusion of the grant in 2020, the center and TDOE sustained their commitment to ensuring access to inclusive environments and high-quality instruction for students with disabilities.

A photo of Angela Wegner
Angela Wegner

AALN increases access to inclusive learning environments with high-quality core instruction for students with disabilities in preschool through eighth grade. To accomplish this, CLEE partners with school districts across the state to provide in-depth coaching and professional
development to participating district leaders and educators.

The initiative has undergone significant developments over the years. The latest transformation occurred in the summer of 2022 and saw a transition to a coaching model that will expand into a supportive network of districts. Previously, AALN focused on a train-the-trainer model, which provided professional development to district leaders. This professional development was then redelivered by leaders to educators in their district. Now, AALN provides intensive one-on-one coaching for district leaders and teachers to foster more engagement and collaboration.

AALN is currently divided into the K-8 Access for All Learning Network and Early Childhood Access for All Learning Network. CLEE provides both coaching and professional development to district leaders, but the early childhood network focuses on giving preschool teachers more specialized attention from coaches. Additionally, the K-8 network emphasizes the pivotal role of high-quality instructional materials utilized in an inclusive learning environment.

Statewide coordinator for the early childhood network Amanda Mason says that, because pre-K is the foundation of a child’s education, special focus in those classrooms is crucial and can change the trajectory of children’s educational experiences for the rest of their schooling. Early-childhood coaches visit pre-K classrooms to offer individualized coaching each month and provide teachers with one-on-one support.

Early Access AALN Regional Coach Amanda Hunley and Coordinator Amanda Mason.
Early Access AALN Regional Coach Amanda Hunley and Coordinator Amanda Mason.

“That support could look broadly like overall instructional practices or overall quality of the environment,” Mason says. “Because preschool is so much learning through play, that environmental component is really important.”

Torie Renfroe, a pre-K teacher at Parsons Elementary School in Decatur County, has been working with the AALN for two years.

“Each year I have been able to see students with special needs make huge gains and also see other students learn amazing skills that will last them a lifetime,” Renfroe says. “We say all the time that this program is helping us teach our students to not only learn and grow from our rich literacy environment but also from their peers. We are better able to teach the whole child.”

Angela Long, statewide coordinator for the K-8 network, says that, when leading professional development for district leaders, fostering more inclusive settings and promoting collaboration between both sides of education—general education and special education—are deemed essential.

“We want to see our students with disabilities working in the same capacity as their general education peers,” Long says.

Long and Mason started at CLEE as coaches for the West Tennessee region. They share a background as special education teachers and emphasized how valuable it is for many former teachers and special education instructors to be the ones leading the network.

“When we’re designing content or working with district leaders, that’s our perspective,” Mason says. “We’ve been there, and we’ve lived it, and we’re trying to give people what we wish we would have had—what would have made us be the teacher that we wish we could have been for some of our students.”

Banner about online learning

Online Learning & Event Services

Let UT CLEE’s team of event & training professionals
help your organization thrive!

NPR's list of live virtual concerts to watch during the coronavirus shutdown

Upcoming virtual concerts!

Holding meaningful events & training during periods of social distancing due to COVID-19 is not an insurmountable feat.

On March 19, 2020, during a heightened period of concern due to the potential spread of the corona virus (COVID-19), multiple musicians held a concert for a worldwide audience. This concert was made possible by innovative use of virtual platforms to livestream each musician.

With over 20 years of online training and event experience, UT CLEE is eager to assist you in developing, executing, and evaluating events, meetings, and transformative learning through a variety of virtual platforms and online tools

Contact us to develop a customized support plan
for your audiences, today!

National Disability Employment Awareness Month October 2016 – #InclusionWorks

inclusionworks

National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) was originally called “National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week” when Congress, in 1945, declared the first week of October an opportunity for employers to look beyond a person’s physical limitations. In the 71 years since, perceptions have changed, verbiage has been updated to better reflect the limitation rather than the person with the limitation, and the growing movement of #InclusionWorks is celebrated with various events, small and large, around the state of Tennessee throughout the month of October.

The United Stated Department of Labor chose as this year’s theme #InclusionWorks and it “…seeks to inspire social media awareness of workers with disabilities.”

“By fostering a culture that embraces individual differences, including disabilities, businesses profit by having a wider variety of tools to confront challenges. Our nation’s most successful companies proudly make inclusion a core value. They know that inclusion works. It works for workers, it works for employers, it works for opportunity, and it works for innovation.”

-Jennifer Sheehy, deputy assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy

Organizations are encouraged to hold their own NDEAM events or join events in their area to show their support for the diversity brought to the community, gain valuable knowledge to bring back to their employees, and celebrate the countless and diverse contributions of the American worker with disabilities. The events held throughout the U.S. embody the ‘can-do’ spirit of people who deal with varied limitations on a daily basis.

A honored and proud supporter of NDEAM, The Center for Literacy, Education and Employment’s Corporate Connections Account Representatives in collaboration with the Tennessee Division of Rehabilitation Services are coordinating and supporting events throughout the state. These events include:

-Disability Mentoring

-Awards and Recognition for employers and employees

-Community Awareness events

-Employer Outreach and Educational presentations

 

Celebrate Adult Education and Family Literacy Week!

2016-07_aeflw_logo_dateWe invite you to join us in celebrating Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, September 26 – October 1, 2016.

Adult education and family literacy programs serve adult students who need to improve their basic literacy and math skills, improve their oral and written English, obtain a high school equivalence degree, and prepare for community college or vocational training.

Family literacy programs serve parents and their young children, teaching basic skills, English as a Second Language, and parenting skills to adults while their children are provided high quality instruction. These programs are focused on breaking the cycles of low literacy, low education, and poverty.

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LINCS & CLEE at COABE in Dallas

COABE2016CLEE Staff from the southeastern LINCS Regional Professional Development Center (RPDC II) will be presenting at the annual COABE conference in Dallas, TX.  Held April 10 – 16th, this conference is one of many activities by the national Commission on Adult Basic Education designed to advance national and international adult education and literacy opportunities for all persons.

RPDC II presentations at COABE:

  • Monday, April 11, 3:45–5:00
    Creating Effective Learning Environments
    by Gail Cope
  • Tuesday, April 12, 9:30-10:45
    Critical Thinking and Numeracy in Social Media
    by Aaron Kohring and Duren Thompson

More COABE session information:

CLEE’s Flipped Learning Presentations at FlipCon 2015

picture-Duren ThompsonCenter staff member Duren Thompson was selected to attend FlipCon 2015 on July 13-15th, as a presenter for two topics. Her presentations highlighted the Center’s efforts to improve the quality of professional development for adult literacy practitioners, as well as strengthen adult learners’ skills for college and career transition.

FlipCon, held at Michigan State University and sponsored by the Flipped Learning Network, is focused on a growing trend in K-12 and Universities to ‘flip’ the traditional learning experience – moving direct instruction (lecture) into individual learning time (typically online, through focused visual presentations). This then provides more time in group settings for applications of learning, higher level discussion, and problem solving real-world tasks with the immediate support of instructors and peers. Take a look at ALL this year’s scheduled sessions online here.

Duren’s Sessions at FlipCon2015:
All sessions at FlipCon2015 model the flipped approach, requiring ‘pre-work’ for conference attendees.

Find out more about FlipCon2015 and Flipped Learning in this article from EdTech k-12 Magazine:
FlipCon 2015, the Flipped Learning Conference, Expands in 8th Year.

FlipCon2015 on Titter: #Flipcon15

Sponsors: As a graduate student in the Instructional Technology Master’s degree program at the University of Tennessee, Duren’s conference attendance has received support from:

 

Tennessee State flag

July 2015 TIE That Binds – Tennessee Disability Resources

tennflag

July 2015 TIE that Binds
a Publication for Tennessee community rehabilitation service providers.

In this issue:

Hits and Myths: …about Social Security benefits and work

The Professional: On being a caring and SMART professional.

Job Development and Creation:  5 beliefs that can increase the odds of finding jobs for people.

Best Practice Award 2015: Congrats to SRVS for winning this national award!

Tennessee State flag

June 2015 TIE That Binds – Tennessee Disability Resources

tennflag

June 2015 TIE that Binds
a Publication for Tennessee community rehabilitation service providers.

In this issue:

Conversation with an Employer: Working with a staffing agency.

Analyzing the Labor Market: Questions to ask when searching for businesses to approach.

Case Studies: Quick professional development – scenarios for discussion at staff meetings.

TNAPSE: List of great things being done across TN by TNAPSE members!

Tennessee State flag

May 2015 TIE That Binds – Tennessee Disability Resources

tennflagMay 2015 TIE that Binds
a Publication for Tennessee community rehabilitation service providers.

In this issue:

SPOC: Businesses want a a Single Point of Contact.

Behavioral Interviews: Do you have the skills or experiences to help my company be better?

Training Tips: Good points to remember if you are teaching one on one or in a classroom.

 

Tennessee State flag

April 2015 TIE That Binds – Tennessee Disability Resources

tennflagApril 2015 TIE that Binds
a Publication for Tennessee community rehabilitation service providers.

In this “April Fools” issue:

Reweivretni Eht Gniweivretni (Interviewing the Interviewer): As a job developer, we need to have questions available that shows we have thought about the position we are advocating for.

 

Sredloh Etacifitrec PSEC:  Congrats to the newest CESP Certificate holders.

Setisbew (Websites): A report on economic progress for people with disabilities, National Re-entry Resource Center,  myths and facts about workers with disabilities, and much more!

 

Tennessee State flag

March 2015 TIE That Binds – Tennessee Disability Resources

tennflagMarch 2015 TIE that Binds
a Publication for Tennessee community rehabilitation service providers.

In this issue:

ABLE Act Update: The ABLE Act creates a new savings account for families with people with disabilities.

Mental Illness: Why don’t employers make workplace accommodations for Mental illness –  which creates more lost workdays than arthritis and back pain?

Employment Rate: How to interpret common employment rate statistics.

Expect – Employ – Empower – Celebrate TN Employees with Disabilities in October!

because mentorHeld each October since 1945, National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is a national campaign led by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). Designed to raise awareness about disability employment issues and celebrate the many contributions of America’s workers with disabilities, the theme for October 2014 is “Expect. Employ.  Empower.” 

“We all have a role to play in — and benefit to gain from — increasing opportunities for meaningful employment for people with disabilities. This year’s theme encapsulates this in three powerful words. It conveys that advancing disability employment is about much more than just hiring. It’s about creating a continuum of inclusion. And the first step on this continuum is expectation,”
Kathy Martinez, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy

Organizations across the country join in this month’s national campaign to raise awareness about disability employment issues and to celebrate the many and varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities. ODEP provides a wealth of resources and ideas for those wishing to support this campaign – this month and throughout the year.

The Center for Literacy, Education and Employment is proud to support National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). Our Corporate Connections representatives, in conjunction with the Tennessee Division of Rehabilitation Services, are organizing and supporting activities across the state, including:

  • Disability Mentoring
  • Awards and Recognition for employers and employees
  • Community Awareness events
  • Employer Outreach & Education presentations

1376463_10151619235901123_1430950735_n

 

For more information about NDEAM events and opportunities in Tennessee, visit Tennessee Works or contact: Stephanie Cowherd scowherd@utk.edu

TN Voted: Graduating High School Seniors Attend Community College for Free

tennflagOn Tuesday, April 15, Tennessee’s State Legislature approved Gov. Bill Haslam’s Tennessee Promise proposal. This program will use an endowment from lottery money reserves to pay the tuition and fees for two years for all state high-school graduates who want to go to a community or technical college.  The State House of Representatives voted in favor of the plan (87 to 8) a day after Senate approval (vote: 30 to 1).

In order to participate, graduating high-school seniors would have to enroll in college in the following fall semester. (Due to financial constraints, this program would not apply to working adults.) In
addition, the Tennessee Promise program would place requirements on students, such as:

  • enrolling in a college full time for up to five consecutive semesters,
  • maintaining a 2.0 grade-point average,
  • completing eight hours of community service per semester
  • and applying for federal student aid, including Pell Grants.

Tennessee would subtract any federal aid they received from what it paid. In other words, the program would pay only the cost of tuition and fees not covered by Pell or other federal grants.*

“Net cost to the state, zero. Net impact on our future, priceless.”  Governor Haslam, Tennessee

Governor Haslam’s goal is to have 55 percent of the state’s residents earn a college credential by 2025.

TN_promise_263_209_fillAccording to David Baime, senior vice president for government relations and research at the American Association of Community Colleges, “The Tennessee proposal is likely to attract more students to college and could also have a strong effect on the number of students who complete a degree. Having the money to pay for college is often the key factor in whether a student completes a degree or drops out.” In addition, because many more low-income and first-generation students might be starting out at community colleges, the program could help reduce the cost and inefficiency of remediation at the four-year colleges.

“We are committed to making a clear statement to families that education after high school is a priority in the State of Tennessee.”  Governor Haslam, Tennessee

For more information visit: Drive to 55 – Tennessee Promise

*Note that immigrant students who are in the country illegally would not be eligible
for federal financial aid, and thus could not participate in the Tennessee Promise.

Source: Chronicle of Higher Education

Time for the U.S. to Reskill? CLEE Hosts PIAAC Engagement Session

“…the basic skills of adults in the United States are relatively weak. Unlike many other countries, there has been little sign of improvement in recent decades.”

In November 20, 2013 the U.S. Department of Education Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) launched a national engagement effort to explore ways to increase our capacity to improve the foundation skills of adults in the United States – based on the OECD’s PIAAC findings (see Background below.) OVAE is soliciting input from across the country to contribute to a national plan of action to address the skills deficit of U.S. adults.

As part of this effort, the Center for Literacy, Education and Employment is hosting a local engagement session on  March 6th, from 8-9:30am at the University of Tennessee.  This session provides local stakeholders the opportunity to learn about the issues, share ideas and be part of the national solution.

If you are interested in attending contributing to this effort, please contact cleeinfo@utk.edu for registration information.

 

Time to reskillBackground

On October 8, 2013, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released the results of the Survey of Adult Skills, an international survey that is part of the Program for International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). This direct assessment was conducted in 23 countries with nationally representative samples of adults ages 16 through 65.

In an effort to examine the economic and social case for reskilling adults in the United States, the OECD, at the request of the U.S. Department of Education, analyzed the findings using U.S. data from the Survey and prepared a report entitled, Time for the U.S. to Reskill? What the Survey of Adult Skills Says.

The report found that while other countries have been showing improvements in equipping its adult populations with the skills needed to be productive in their society, the United States has remained relatively unchanged in the decade since the last report, thus falling further behind their international counterparts. The findings, in particular, shine a spotlight on a part of our population that has historically been overlooked and under served: the large number of adults with low basic skills. 

For more information on this initiative visit:   http://www.timetoreskill.org/

Equal to the Task – Celebrate TN Employees with Disabilities in October!

NDEAMLady2013October 2013 is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Supported by the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), organizations across the country join in this month’s national campaign to raise awareness about disability employment issues and to celebrate the many and varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities. ODEP provides a wealth of resources and ideas for those wishing to support this campaign – this month and throughout the year.

The Center for Literacy, Education and Employment is proud to support National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). Our Corporate Connections representatives, in conjunction with the Tennessee Division of Rehabilitation Services, are organizing and supporting activities across the state, including:

  • Disability Mentoring
  • Awards and Recognition for employers and employees
  • Community Awareness events
  • Employer Outreach & Education presentations

kmartinez““When I was growing up, many people doubted what I could do just because I was blind. But because I had people in my life who instilled in me an expectation of work and showed me opportunities to be successful, I completed college and became known for what I can do.”
Kathy Martinez, Assistant Secretary of Labor for US disability employment policy

For more information about NDEAM events and opportunities in Tennessee, visit Tennessee Works or contact: Stephanie Cowherd scowherd@utk.edu

RSVP Now for October Disability Awareness Events in East TN!

ThunderDog2In celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, East Tennessee organizations sponsor three events with internationally acclaimed public speaker and New York Times Bestselling author, Michael Hingson.

Michael Hingson uses his personal stories and experiences escaping from the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 as the backdrop for his talks on the life lessons learned growing up in a world different from what most of us experience. Michael, blind since birth, led co-workers from the 78th floor of the WTC building with the help of his guide dog Roselle. 

We invite you to join CLEE staff and this inspirational speaker at one of these three events promoting the benefits of employing people with disabilities:

October 29, 8:00 – 10:30am – disABILITY Forum (7:30am continental breakfast)

Location:  Toy F. Reid Employee Center,  400 So. Wilcox Dr. Kingsport, TN
RSVP to Teresa Smith by October 24: (423) 434-6989 or teresas@utk.edu
Hosted by the Northeast TN Diversity in Employment Consortium and  Eastman Chemical Co. No registration fee required.

October 29, 2:30 – 4pm – Disability Forum (Refreshments to follow)

Location:  Walters State Community College, International Lyceum, Morristown, TN
RSVP to Teresa Smith by October 24: (423) 434-6989 or teresas@utk.edu
Hosted by the Northeast TN Diversity in Employment Consortium and Walters State Community College. No registration fee required.

October 30, 8:00 – 10:00am – Disability Employment Awareness Breakfast

 Location:  Crowne Plaza,  401 West Summit Hill Drive, Knoxville, TN
Register by October 25: Online or via emailed/faxed Registration Form
Hosted by the Knoxville Area Employment Consortium.

Michael Hingson will be available for book signing after each event.

All three forums are presented in conjunction with Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Workforce Employer Outreach Committee meetings.

CLEE staff of the  DRS Corporate Connections and DRS Regional Employment Consultants grant project are proud to support these and many other celebrations of disability employment awareness throughout Tennessee during October, 2013.

The center receives funding from the Tennessee Department of Human Services-Division of Rehabilitation Services.

screen capture from the College and Career Readiness (CCR) Standards for Adult Education website

US DOE Publication: College and Career Readiness (CCR) Standards for Adult Education

screen capture from the College and Career Readiness (CCR) Standards for Adult Education website

The US Department of Education announces a new MPR report:
College and Career Readiness (CCR) Standards for Adult Education.

Based in the Common Core State Standards, this resource is designed to provide:

“… a set of manageable yet significant CCR standards that reflect broad agreement among subject matter experts in adult education about what is desirable for adult students to know to be prepared for the rigors of postsecondary education and training.” 

Cheryl Keenen, Director, Division of Adult Education & Literacy,
Office of Vocational and Adult Education

This document is available in pdf format linked from the following locations:

  1. LINCS – http://lincs.ed.gov
  2. Office of Vocational and Adult Education, Adult Education and      Literacy – http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/AdultEd/index.html
  3. Adult Education Content Standards Warehouse – http://www.adultedcontentstandards.ed.gov

We at the center encourage you to forward this information to any interested programs, agencies or individuals.  Contact for any questions  regarding this document is: Ronna Spacone at (202) 245-7755 or Ronna.Spacone@ed.gov.

2nd CLEE STEM Camp in Alcoa – Sept. 2013!

BCTphotoSTEMcamp2013The Center for Literacy, Education and Employment has again received funding from  Alcoa Foundation to implement our innovative STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) project with Alcoa Elementary School.

This funding will support approximately 20 students from Alcoa Elementary School, in Tennessee, to spend one week at a camp featuring engaging STEM learning activities.  Families of the campers will also be involved through family literacy activities that strengthen parents’ ability to support their children’s STEM development.  In addition, Alcoa retirees will be invited participate and share their expertise, continuing to make the Alcoa STEM Camp a true community endeavor.

We invite you to  support STEM Camp at Alcoa Elementary School  during September 2013!  If you would like to join forces with CLEE for this one-of-a-kind experience, please consider making a donation for that purpose.  No amount is too small or too large.  We have a golden opportunity to create a groundbreaking effort toward STEM training in Tennessee, and you can help.

CLEE tree Logo STEM only 2x3We can bring STEM Camp to YOUR school or program – just ask!
For details see our brochure: CLEE STEM Elementary Education Initiatives

MORE Information: Check out these news items from CLEE’s first Alcoa STEM Camp:

In the News! 2013 STEM Camp at Alcoa Elementary SchoolON the News: CLEE sponsors Alcoa STEM CampCLEE in the News: More on the Alcoa STEM Camp!

 

For questions or participation in this project, please contact Dr. Olga Ebert oleber@utk.edu.

“Your Future is Calling” says GED Testing Service

“By completing the GED® test, you can answer the call.

Complete the GED® test by the end of 2013, and then go on to college, a better job, the respect you deserve, and the accomplishment of earning your high school credential.”

A recent press release announces that the GED Testing Service™ (GEDTS™) has launched its 2002 Series Closeout Campaign: Your Future is Calling, alerting test-takers who need to finish the GED® test by the end of 2013.

The current version of the test—the 2002 Series GED® Test—will expire at the end of 2013, along with any incomplete test scores.  Test-takers who pass some but not all of the 2002 Series GED® Test will have to start over. 

GEDTS™ encourages everyone to join the 2002 Series Closeout Campaign and tell adult learners to finish the GED® test by the end of 2013. Based on research, GEDTS™ has compiled a Closeout Campaign message guide that focuses on being hopeful, positive, and future-oriented.

CLEE encourages everyone to take part in getting the word out!

“More than a million adults have started but not finished the current GED® test. As a nation, we cannot afford to let millions of working-aged adults miss this opportunity to complete and pass the GED® test, opening doors to college, training, and better jobs.”

Nicole Chestang, executive vice president of GED Testing Service™

CLEE Staff Honored by UT College of Education, Health and Human Services

Connie-DeanRidersqThe Center for Literacy, Education and Employment and its exemplary staff featured prominently in the recent 2013 CEHHS Annual Recognition Ceremony at the University of Tennessee, on Tuesday, April 23rd.

Prominent among Center staff recognized was Connie White, Associate Director, who was  honored by Dean Bob Rider with a prestigious Dean’s Service Award for her long-time service to the college and history of attracting over $18 million in awards and contracts to the college and CLEE  during her tenure to date.  This is the first time such an honor has been awarded to staff of any center at CEHHS.

Earlier in the ceremony, Connie was recognized as the CEHHS principle investigator with the highest total awarded in grants and contracts in the 2012 fiscal year – over $5.7 million. Also recognized for their work as principle investigators attracting significant investments to CEHHS were Associate Directors Beth Ponder  and Stephanie Cowherd, and Center Director Geri Mulligan.  The Dean also praised the Center for Literacy, Education and Employment as having attracted over half the total awards & contracts monies received by the college as a whole in 2012.

During the ceremony retiring CLEE staff Cathy Houser and Carol Martin were thanked and applauded for their years of service to the college. Also recognized with years-in-service awards were Center staff: Gail Cope, Peggy Roberts, Duren Thompson, Lisa Kinkade, Jonathan Kelly and Kristie Wright.

Congratulations to all those honored – you, and ALL our talented staff members, are the Center’s most valuable assets!

UT Grad student Michael Swift watches students build a marble roller coaster – to explore physics concepts (photo Tom Sherlin)

CLEE in the News: More on the Alcoa STEM Camp!

BCTphotoSTEMcamp2013
UT Grad student Michael Swift watches students build a marble roller coaster – to explore physics concepts
(photo Tom Sherlin)

Another great article on the CLEE STEM camp held in March 2013 from the Blount County Times

Alcoa Elementary, UT Join together for STEM Camp, Matthew Stewart

Previous posts on CLEE’s UT STEM Camp include:

For more information on CLEE’s work in STEM education, and/or our work supporting standards in K-12 education, please contact the Center’s School and Family Team.

CLEE Awarded IMLS Grant for LAMBDA

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Beth Ponder
Associate Director
Center for Literacy, Education and Employment

The Center is pleased to announce a new partnership with the University of Tennessee’s School of Information Sciences  in support of LGBTQ homeless youth.  Beth Ponder, Associate Director at CLEE has been named co-PI along with Dr. Cortez, Director of the School of Information Sciences at UT  of this three year grant from The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

Please see the Announcement excerpted from the UTK School of Information Sciences blog below for details:

Sent: Tuesday, April 23, 2013 8:33 AM
Subject: [UTKSIS-L] UT SIS Awarded IMLS Grant for LAMBDA

KNOXVILLE – Library Anchor Models for Bridging Diversity Achievements (LAMBDA) brings together the University of Tennessee’s School of Information Sciences and the Center for Literacy, Education & Employment with the San Diego County Libraries and other public libraries in California and Tennessee to provide education, training, workshops, and support materials to support library staff members who serve LGBTQ homeless youth.

Activities and materials will focus on educating library personnel about the needs of LGBTQ homeless youth who come to the public library to access the Internet, read, find employment, contact family, or socialize with others. Activities will help libraries build partnerships with community organizations that work with homeless populations.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) awarded the grant of $189,416. Dr. Cortez, Director of the School of Information Sciences at UT will lead the research team along with co-PI Beth Ponder. 

“We continue to give our students extraordinary learning experiences which also serve the greater good of the communities we serve,” said Cortez.  “This research speaks directly to the core of UT’s Vision for ideas that advance society through discovery, inquiry, innovation, research and scholarship.” 

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. Through grant making, policy development, and research, IMLS helps communities and individuals thrive through broad public access to knowledge, cultural heritage, and lifelong learning.

[Post author:  Donna Silvey, Communication Specialist The University of Tennessee College of Communication & Information, School of Information Sciences]

CLEE supports TNCore Common Core Coaches and Statewide Initiative

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In April 2012, the School & Family team at the Center for Literacy, Education & Employment  began supporting a new statewide Common Core State Standards initiative of the Tennessee Department of Education.

To begin this initiative, 205 Math Common Core Coaches were hired and trained in April and May 2012 (see coaches pictured at right).  These Coaches then trained over 11,000 teachers across the state of Tennessee in the Summer of 2012.  Quite successful, this initiative continues with Regional Leadership trainings for all TN administrators held in all subject areas January – May of 2013, and more educator trainings this summer.

In fact, on March 8, the School & Family team had the privilege of attending a banquet welcoming the 2013 Common Core Coaches: over 700 educators hired to train and be trained in the areas of K-12 Math, K-12 English/Language Arts, 6-12 Science, 6-12 Social Studies and 9-12 CTE, as well as about 100 administrators hired to train other administrators in the state. Currently, there are over 20,000 educators registered to attend training sites this summer!

The School & Family team has provided ongoing, high quality Event Planning and Program Logistics support for this initiative such as:

  • processing coaches’ monthly stipends & reimbursements for travel expenses  (300 persons per month!)
  • arranging event venues and negotiating logistics f or each location
  • printing and shipping materials (tens of thousands of copies) as well as ordering and shipping similar numbers of supplies to dozens of locations and multiple simultaneous sessions
  • providing onsite support (registration, technology, materials, etc.) at 42 training sites over a 3 week period (Summer 2012), and 75 training sites over a 5 month period (Jan – May 2013).
  • assisting with other logistical tasks, such as processing registration data, web site support (www.TNCore.org and tncoresupport.org/ ), conversion and distribution of video files, etc.

For more information and to register for the summer trainings visit: http://tncore.org/register_for_a_tncore_training/common_core_summer_training.aspx

We are excited about this summer’s trainings and hope to see you there! 

For more information about how CLEE can support your K-12 professional development plans, contact the Center’s School and Family Team or contact cleeinfo@utk.edu.

CLEE Professional Development Support Services at 2012 TETC

TECT CoverWe can help YOU provide an Effective and Successful Conference Experience!

In November 2012, the School and Family Team supported the Tennessee Department of Education’s 30th Annual Tennessee Education Technology Conference (TETC).  The conference took place November 28-30 at the Nashville Convention Center.

About the Conference: Designed specifically for school and district educational technology leaders and instructors, TETC offers opportunities for growth and development through training sessions, labs, workshops, interest sessions, and peer networking. TETC is the premiere venue by which educators are able to better the knowledge, quality and access to educational technology and integration in the school systems of Tennessee, benefitting children and communities statewide.

TETC-regsmallOur Professional Development Support Services: The School and Family Team assisted with the preparation and printing of registration materials, including the conference program that was given to all attendees.  Team members arrived the day before the start of the conference to prepare 2000 bags of materials that were given to all attendees.  The Team provided onsite support, assisting in registration of the 2000 attendees and vendors, printing name tags, accepting and processing payments from attendees and vendors, assisting in the set-up and teardown of the conference, and other logistical tasks throughout the week.

What’s the next big event for the School and Family Event Support Team?
Tennessee’s 2013 Special Education Conference and RTI Joint Summit held at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville on March 12 – 14th, with the 5th Annual Transition Summit pre-conference on March 11th.  We’d love to see you there!

In the News! 2013 STEM Camp at Alcoa Elementary School

SVideoscreenshotTEM Camp at Alcoa Elementary School, a unique program hosted by the Center for Literacy, Education and Employment in March 2013, has been making news!

Recently CLEE staff member Kim Chaney Bay appeared on WBIR along with Christy Newman, Communication Director with Alcoa to talk about the 2012 Alcoa Foundation grants and the 2013 STEM Camp project.

View the video:
WBIR Interview STEM Camp at Alcoa   – Kim & Christy

CLEE tree Logo STEM only 2x3Support STEM Camp at Alcoa Elementary School  during Spring Break 2013!  If you would like to join forces with CLEE for this one-of-a-kind experience, please consider making a donation for that purpose.  No amount is too small or too large.  We have a golden opportunity to create a groundbreaking effort toward STEM training in Tennessee, and you can help.

 

Give to support the 2013 STEM Camp at Alcoa Elementary School!

Support STEM Camp at Alcoa Elementary School  during Spring Break 2013!   This is an exciting pilot project—an enrichment camp curriculum designed to stimulate the learning of math, science and technology at the elementary level. This unique program, hosted by the Center for Literacy, Education and Employment, will also involve students’ parents by providing training in hands-on interactive activities that can be used at home to enrich the STEM instruction in the classroom.

We have already received critical seed grants from the Alcoa Foundation and the Y-12 National Security Complex.  However, we still need your help! 

We are seeking additional funds to complete components that will further enrich the base program.  We only need a few more generous contributions to reach our final goal.

If you would like to join forces with CLEE for this one-of-a-kind experience, please consider making a donation for that purpose.  No amount is too small or too large.  We have a golden opportunity to create a groundbreaking effort toward STEM training in Tennessee, and you can help.

Give ONLINE: Click on the link below, and fill in the requested information. Please add a comment “for 2013 STEM camp” to be sure your donation is correctly directed.

University of TN online giving form – Center for Literacy, Education and Employment

Give by CHECK:  Mail or drop off your check to the address below. Check should be made out to the University of Tennessee, with a note  “for CLEE 2013 STEM camp.”

Center for Literacy, Education and Employment – STEM Camp
600 Henley St., Suite 312, Knoxville, TN  37996-4135

Questions? Contact Olga Ebert : olebert@utk.edu or 865-974-4109

Are your clients/students ready? Federal benefits go paperless!

Did you know? All federal benefits will be dispersed electronically through direct deposit or an online managed card starting March 1, 2013.

Are your students or clients ready for this??
Talk to them about digital and financial literacy!

For materials and training information visit:
http://www.godirect.org/partners/community-based-organizations/materials/

You can also sign up for a free webinar on December 5th with advocacy organizations and start helping to spread the word and prepare: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/447464544

Sponsored by the National Consumer Law Center, this webinar will address what will happen next year, what options seniors have, and how you can help them make the transition. We will also discuss new protections for bank accounts, the Direct Express prepaid card, and privately purchased prepaid cards.

Speakers:

  • Walt Henderson, Director, EFT Strategy Division, U.S. Department of the Treasury
  • Margot Saunders, Of Counsel, National Consumer Law Center
  • Lauren Saunders, Managing Attorney, National Consumer Law Center

Additional sponsorship for this Webinar is provided by a grant from the Administration on Aging. This webinar is part of a series of National Elder Rights Training Project webinars for the National Legal Resource Center.

 

“Back to Basics” Fall Conference – TN Department of Rehabilitation Services

Park Vista Hotel And Convention Center PhotoCLEE would like announce the “Back to Basics” fall training Conference hosted by Tennessee Department of Rehabilitation Services . Starting on November 27 and running for three days , “Back to Basics” will be located at the Park Vista Hotel in Gatlinburg, TN. The Conference boasts a wide array of exciting topics with many renowned speakers.

Highlighted speakers and topics include:

  1. Robert B. Nicholas, PhD: Senior Visiting Fellow for Disability Research at the John J. Heldrich Center at Rutgers University, speaking on Expanding Employment Opportunities for Job Seekers through Employer Partnerships.
  2. Linda Hedenblad, MSE, CRC: Visiting Program Coordinator for TACE Region V, SIU Carbondale, speaking on Motivational Interviewing and a brief Ethics Presentation.
  3. Ms. Paula Jones, MS, CRC: From the East Tennessee Technology Access Center, presenting on Assistive Technology.
  4. Victor Oakley, Sevier County Career Center Manager and Teresa Broome, Assistant Director-East TN, Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, presenting on JOBS4TN.
  5. Lee Ann Rawlins, PhD, CRC, CFLE: CLEE Program Coordinator/TACE Southeast,  with multiple topics, including: Transition School to Work and Rehabilitation Vs. Production

For more information, please contact Lee Ann Rawlins at lrawlin1@utk.edu.

CLEE Staff at Transition Fair – Jackson TN

Schools, organizations, families and students need supports in order for learners to achieve a seamless transition from high school to post-secondary education, vocational training or employment – especially when the transitioning student faces potential barriers such as intellectual or physical disabilities. The Center for Literacy, Education and Employment is part of nation-wide efforts to provide those supports.

Photo Courtesy of WBBJ-TV
Click to view their report on the event.

As part of this work, Melvin Jackson, CLEE Transition Coordinator in West Tennessee, participated in the Jackson Madison County Transition Fair on October 27.   This event was open to the community and designed to support students with disabilities by providing interagency information for parents, students, teachers, and others on transition topics such as housing, guardianship, employment, schooling, recreation, community services, and more. As part of the fair, Melvin provided information on transition and self-determination to attendees, networked with many who attended, and discussed resources available here at the Center.

Joey Ellis, STEP (left) and
Melvin Jackson, CLEE (right)

Pictured at right is Melvin with Joey Ellis, the Middle Tennessee Coordinator for STEP (Support and Training for Exceptional Parents).  CLEE and STEP partner on several Tennessee initiatives including providing support for students with disabilities who are transitioning to post-secondary career or college, and their families.  CLEE’s Tennessee initiative with Transitions and Self-Determination for students with disabilities is funded by the Tennessee Department of Education, Division of Special Education, and the Boling Center for Developmental Disabilities.

Linda Randolph, Regional Supervisor, TN DHS Division of Rehabilitation Services, and Lisa Kinkade, with the Proclamation of Disability Employment Awareness Month in Jackson and Madison County

Jackson TN Chamber Spotlights Corporate Connections

Linda Randolph, Regional Supervisor, TN DHS Division of Rehabilitation Services, and
Lisa Kinkade, with the Proclamation of Disability Employment Awareness Month
in Jackson and Madison County

Check out the great article on Corporate Connections in the Jackson TN Chamber of Commerce Newsletter – based on an interview with regional account representative Lisa Kincade!

View the Article/Interview with Lisa

View the full Jackson Chamber Newsletter

Corporate Connections account representatives seek to increase employment opportunities for individuals served
by the Tennessee Division of Rehabilitation Services. Representatives like Lisa Kincade, conduct marketing, education and outreach activities to engage the business community, providing statewide disability resources and employment services to assist Tennessee businesses in recruiting, hiring, and retaining employees with disabilities.

For more information about Corporate Connections services please contact Stephanie Cowherd scowherd@utk.edu .

Celebrate Employees with Disabilities in October!

“During National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we recognize the indispensable contributions people with disabilities make in our economy and recommit to building a country where each of us can realize the full extent of our dreams.”
Barack Obama

By presidential proclamation, October 2012 is proclaimed as a month to, “…rededicate ourselves to bringing down barriers and raising up aspirations for all our people, regardless of disability, so we may share in a brighter future together.”

Supported by the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), organizations across the country join in this month’s national campaign to raise awareness about disability employment issues and to celebrate the many and varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities. ODEP provides a wealth of resources and ideas for those wishing to support this campaign – this month and throughout the year.

The Center for Literacy, Education and Employment  is proud to support National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). Our Corporate Connections representatives, in conjunction with the Tennessee Division of Rehabilitation Services, are organizing and supporting activities across the state, including:

  • Disability Mentoring
  • Awards and Recognition for employers and employees
  • Community Awareness events
  • Employer Outreach & Education presentations

For more information about NDEAM events and opportunitities in Tennessee, visit Tennessee Works or contact:  Stephanie Cowherd  scowherd@utk.edu

Family Literacy: Free Seminar on Community Mapping

Free web seminar aimed at identifying community and family resources with potential to enhance literacy learning for children and stronger school-family relationships. Sponsored by the National Center for Literacy Education.

Community Mapping Web Seminar – more info:  http://www.ncte.org/seminars/comm_mapping

DATE/Time: October 4, 2012,  3:00 p.m. CDT

To register visit:  http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22GED9NT8X5

Presenters:

  • Rosario Ordo’ez-Jasis, CSU Fullerton
  • KaiLonnie Dunsmore, The Ball Foundation
  • Carlos Ochoa, Learning Director at Ybarra Academy of the Arts and Technology (Rowland Unified School District)
  • George Herrera, Program Specialist at Giano Intermediate School (Rowland Unified School District)

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