CA STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN
For the Recruitment, Preparation,and Retention of Special Education Personnel

Timeline: 1997

1st Statewide Recruitment Plan

• A "patchwork" of services, programs
• Special Ed not at the table
• Results: CAL TEACH, Edjoin, 6 TRCs,
  increased support for BTSA, interns
  

Timeline: 2001

Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning (CFTL) reports critical shortage of special education teachers (also math and science teachers)

Timeline: 2002-2003

CA Strategic Action Plan for Recruitment, Preparation, and Retention of Special Education Personnel (Plan, p.24)

CA Strategic Plan

• Foundational starting points, (Plan, pgs. 24-25)
• National and state research
• Implementation principles
  

Timeline: 2003-2006

Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) Leadership Team created to monitor implementation of CA Strategic Plan

Timeline: 2007

• Revised CA Strategic Plan (Jan)
• Statement, activity, landscape, partners, products, indicators of accomplishment, completion
  Landscape (Plan, p.2)
• Reconstituted Strategic Plan Leadership Team (May)
  

Strategic Plan Products

• TEACH CA Website - www.teachcalifornia.org
• Recruitment Toolkit includes CD, Poster, Teacher Recruitment Brochures (Special Educators, Math and Science Teachers, Para-educators), Pathways Booklet, and Service Learning Brochure
• Financial Aid Resource Chart (Download)
• Steps to Become a Teacher in CA (Download)
• CSU Chancellor’s Office- Retention Study (Partially SIG Funded)
  

Strategic Plan Leveraged Activities

• WWW.Assist.org link (Available on Teach CA)
• Personnel Center Grant- 3 Target Recruitment Communities (see Plan, p.3)
• Low-incidence Matrix funded by CTQ
• CalTIDEs and CalPADS (see Plan, p.23)
• RtI and IEP trainings and materials (hotlink on Plan, p.19)
• IRIS Materials (Hotlink on Plan, pgs.21-22)

Strategic Plan - Next Steps

• Focus on School Climate, Working Conditions, and Administrative Support
  • PREP #1 (p.11) Paraprofessionals
  • RET #1 (p.16) Retention Study
  • RET #2 (pgs.16-17) Working Conditions
  • RET #3 (p.18) E -Surveys Admin Support
  • RET #4 (pgs.19-22) Professional Development, IRIS, School Climate
    

WHY???

New research tells us that working conditions, school climate, and administrative support have a critical impact on teacher retention in CA.

LINKS TO SPP

CA Strategic Plan Activities Link to STATE PERFORMANCE PLAN Improvement
Indicators:

• # 3 STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT
• # 5 LRE
• # 8 PARENT INVOLVEMENT
• # 14 POST - SCHOOL TRANSITION

BECAUSE...

# 3 STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT
(Improved teacher retention impacts
student achievement and participation)

# 5 LRE
(Improved working conditions and collaborative relationships between special ed. and general ed. teachers mean greater meaningful opportunities for students with disabilities in the general education classroom)

BECAUSE...

# 8 PARENT INVOLVEMENT
(Improved school climate means increased parent involvement)

# 14 POST - SCHOOL TRANSITION
(Improved administrative support means greater opportunities for post school transition options for all students)

CA Strategic Plan

“Only together can we build a brighter future to improve special education personnel quality and supply.” (Plan, p. 25)

Only together can we recruit, prepare, and retain teachers for California’s schools by improving working conditions, school climate, and administrative support.