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Grants to Tennessee Colleges and Universities

Category One Category Two Category Three Category Four

Category One

Preparation of Paraprofessionals / Educational Assistants - Special Education Licensure Project

Eligibility: Individuals who are (1) presently employed in an approved Tennessee public or private school as an educational assistant; (2) serving students with disabilities; and (3) recommended by the Special Education Supervisor / Director. Persons meeting the eligibility criteria may be eligible for financial assistance in the form of tuition remission, and selected fees associated with the coursework leading to Tennessee teacher licensure in special education. Trainees must agree to teach in Tennessee following the completion of the training.

This training for paraprofessionals / educational assistants is offered by the following Universities and Colleges. For additional information, contact the persons named below:

Bethel College Cumberland University Lee University
325 Cherry Avenue One Cumberland Square N. Ocoee, P.O. Box 3450
McKenzie TN 38201 Lebanon, TN 37087 1120 Cleveland, TN 37320-3450
Dr. Ben McClure, Division Chair Dr. Bobbie Speck, Division Chair Dr. Carlanna Gill, Grant Coordinator
731-352-4023 615-444-2562, Ext. 1114 423-614-8185
mcclureb@bethel-college.edu bspeck@cumberland.edu cgill@leeuniversity.edu
Dr. Randy Lachney, Grant Coordinator Dorothy Jenkins, Grant Coordinator Educational Assistant Project
731-352-4230 615-444-2562, Ext. 1169 Department of Education
lachneyr@bethel-college.edu djenkins@cumberland.edu Lee University
Educational Assistant Project Educational Assistant Project N. Ocoee Street
Department of Education Cumberland University 1120 Cleveland, TN 37320
Bethel College One Cumberland Square  
McKenzie, TN 38201 Lebanon, TN 37087-3554  
731-352-4023    

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Category Two

Preparation of Special Educators / Special Education Teachers Seeking Special Education Degrees and/or Licensure

Eligibility: Individuals who are students, including freshmen and transfer and post-baccalaureate candidates, who intend to complete course work leading to a degree in special education and/or Tennessee licensure in the area of special education may be eligible for financial assistantships in the form of tuition remission, cost of books and selected fees. Students who receive assistance under this program must agree to teach special education in a Tennessee school following the completion of the program.

The following Colleges and Universities offer training for persons seeking a degree in special education and/or Tennessee licensure in the area of special education. For additional information, contact the persons named below:

Fisk University LeMoyne-Owen College Tennessee State University
1000 17th Avenue, North 807 Walker Avenue 3500 John A. Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, TN 37208-3051 Memphis, TN 38126 Nashville, TN 37209-1561
Area of Concentration or Licensure: Special Education: Modified K-12 (Undergraduate) Area of Concentration or Licensure: Special Education: Modified K-12 (Undergraduate) Area of Concentration or Licensure: Special Education: Speech/Language Pre-K-12 (Undergraduate and Graduate)
Contact: Contact: Contact:
Mr. Richard Bowers, Head Dr. Ralph Calhoun, Coordinator Dr. Harold Mitchell, Head
Special Education Department Special Education Department Department of Speech/Language and Audiology
Telephone: 615-329-8683 Telephone: 901-774-9090, Ext. 576 Telephone: 615-963-7009
E-mail: rbowers@fisk.edu Facsimile: 901-942-6245 Facsimile: 615-963-7119
  E-mail: ralph_calhoun@nile.loc.edu E-mail: hmitchell@tnstate.edu

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Category Three

Training for Special Educators / Special Education Teachers Who Have Been Issued Permits, Waivers and Interim Licenses

Eligibility: Persons who are currently employed as teachers or related services personnel (i.e., occupational therapist, school nurse, school psychologist, etc.) in an approved Tennessee public or private school, and (2) have been issued waivers, permits, or Interim Tennessee Teaching License may be eligible for the remission of costs for tuition, books, and fees. The coursework must address the deficiencies and lead to licensure in Tennessee in the area of Special Education. Trainees must agree to work in the Tennessee schools upon completion of the training.

The following Colleges and Universities have received special grants to provide special education coursework for students who meet the eligibility criteria. For additional information, contact the persons listed below:

East Tennessee State University

Middle Tennessee State University

Tennessee State University

Special Education: Modified K-12 Special Education: Modified K-12 Special Education: Modified K-12
Special Education: Comprehensive K-12 Special Education: Comprehensive K-12 Special Education: Speech/Language, PreK-12
Special Education: Speech/Language PreK – 12 Special Education: Vision K-12 Contact:
Contact: Contact: Dr. Cornell Lane
Dr. Rebecca Burleson Dr. Bella Higdon Box 134
Campus Box 70548 P.O. Box 69 Tennessee State University
East TN State University Middle TN State University 330 10th Avenue, North
Johnson City, TN 37614-0548 Murfreesboro, TN 37132 Nashville, TN 37203-3401
Telephone: 423-439-7901 Telephone: 615-898-5016 Telephone: 615-963-7396
Facsimile: 423-439-7790 Facsimile: 615-898-5309 Facsimile: 615-963-7308
E-mail: burleson@etsu.edu E-mail: behigdon@mtsu.edu E-mail: clane@tnstate.edu
     
     
     

Tennessee Technological University

University of Tennessee - Chattanooga

University of Tennessee - Martin

Special Education: Modified K-12 Special Education: Modified K-12 Special Education: Modified K-12
Special Education: Comprehensive K-12 Special Education: Comprehensive, K-12 Contact:
Contact: Special Education: Speech/Language PreK-12 Dr. Michelle Arant
Dr. Tom Willis Contact: 124 Gooch Hall
Box 5074 Dr. Barbara Ray University of TN - Martin
TN Technological University Department 4154 Martin, TN 38238
Cookeville, TN 38505 University of TN - Chattanooga Telephone: 901-587-7195
Telephone: 931-372-3558 615 McCallie Avenue Facsimile: 901-587-7956
Facsimile: 931-372-6360 Chattanooga, TN 37403 E-mail: marant@utm.edu
E-mail: twillis@tntech.edu Telephone: 423-755-4538  
  Facsimile: 423-755-5380  
  E-mail: barbara-ray@utc.edu  
     
     
     

University of Memphis

University of Tennessee - Knoxville

 
Special Education: Modified K-12 Special Education: Modified K-12  
Special Education: Comprehensive K-12 Special Education: Comprehensive K-12  
Special Education: Speech/Language PreK-12 Special Education: Speech/Language, PreK-12  
Contact: Special Education: Hearing, K-12  
Dr. Sandra Cooley Claxton Complex A423  
413D Ball Hall University of Tennessee  
University of Memphis Knoxville, TN 37996-3400  
Memphis, TN 38152 Contact:  
Telephone: 901-678-2862 Dr. Susan Benner  
Facsimile: 901-678-3881 Telephone: 865-974-6228  
E-mail: smcooley@memphis.edu Facsimile: 865-974-8718  
  E-mail: sbenner@utk.edu  
  Dr. Jean Schindler  
  Telephone: 865-974-4167  
  Facsimile: 865-974-8718  
  E-mail: jschindler@uik.edu  
  Dr. Mike Hannum  
  Telephone: 865-974-4155  
  Facsimile: 865-974-8718  
  E-mail: mhannum@utk.edu  

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Category Four

Become A Special Educator in Tennessee Teaching Program  (BASE-TN Teaching Program)  

Eligibility - The following priority groups have been established for the BASE-TN Teaching Program:

First priority shall be given to candidates with a Bachelor's degree or higher whose approved Plans of Study indicate intent to complete all remaining course work and other requirements for Tennessee licensure in an area of special education within 12 to 24 calendar months from effective date of original award. This first priority includes "career switchers" or persons with a major other than an area of special education who now seek to obtain Tennessee teaching licensure in an area of special education (e.g., persons who hold a degree in general psychology, English, or elementary education). The BASE-TN Teaching Program will provide financial support in the form of tuition remission and books to complete requirements leading to a Tennessee teaching license in an area of special education as reflected in each student’s Plan of Study.

Second priority shall include persons who (a) are currently working full-time as an educational assistant in a Tennessee approved public school, (b) have earned at least two years of transferable college credit in an area of special education, (c) are currently serving students with disabilities on a full-time basis, and (d) submit written intent to earn a Bachelor's degree in special education within a maximum of three calendar years. The BASE-TN Teaching Program will provide financial support in the form of tuition remission and books to complete graduation requirements leading to an initial Tennessee license in special education as reflected in each student’s Plan of Study.

The BASE-TN Teaching Program award entails a commitment to full-time teaching two years in a Tennessee public school for each year the award is received. The goal of the BASE-TN Teaching Program is to help increase the number of properly licensed Tennessee teachers serving students with disabilities in Tennessee public schools.

The following Tennessee colleges and universities have received grants to provide BASE-TN Teaching Program assistantships and fellowships to students who meet the eligibility criteria. Persons interested in applying for a BASE-TN Teaching Program assistantship or fellowship should contact the representatives named below. (For a copy of the BASE-TN Guidelines and general application form, go to tennessee.gov/education/base-tn/ or tennessee.gov/education/speced/ and click on "BASE-TN Teaching Program." Note: The completed application should be returned to one of the representatives named below according to the deadlines shown.)

Name / E-Mail Address

University

Address

City/ State / Zip

TEL / FAX

Application Due Dates

DR. K. CHARLES COLLIER

ccollier@cumberland.edu

Cumberland University

School of Education

One Cumberland Square

Lebanon, TN 37087

615-444-2562, Ext 1110

615-444-2569

08-16-04 (Fall)

12-10-04 (Spr/Sum)

DR. DEBBIE THOMAS

dthomas@fisk.edu

Fisk University

1000 17 th Avenue North

Nashville, TN 37208-3051

 

615-329-8745

615-329-8802

 

08-01-04 (Fall)

11-01-04 (Spr/Sum)

MR. RICHARD BOWERS

rbowers@fisk.edu

Fisk University 1000 17 th Avenue North Nashville, TN 37208-3051

615-329-8683

615-329-8802

DR. RALPH CALHOUN

ralph_calhoun@nile.loc.edu

LeMoyne-Owen College

 

807 Walker Avenue

Memphis, TN 38126-9989

901-774-9090, Ext 576

901-942-6233

 

08-01-04 (Fall)

11-15-04 (Spr/Sum)

DR. JAMES P. TAKONA LeMoyne-Owen College 807 Walker Avenue Memphis, TN 38126-9989 901-942-7369

DR. BELLA HIGDON

behigdon@mtsu.edu

Middle TN State University

P.O. Box 69

Murfreesboro, TN 37132

615-898-5016

615-898-5309

08-01-04 (Fall)

10-15-04 (Spr/Sum)

DR. SHERRI TRENT

shtrent@mtsu.edu

Middle TN State University P.O. Box 531 Murfreesboro, TN 37132

615-898-2628

615-898-5309

DR. TOM WILLIS

twillis@tntech.edu

 

TN Technological University

Box 5074

Cookeville, TN 38505

931-372-3558

931-372-6270

07-19-04 (Fall)

12-06-04 (Spring)

04-26-05 (Summer)

DR. BARBARA RAY

barbara-ray@utc.edu

University of TN - Chattanooga

615 McCallie Avenue

Chattanooga, TN 37403

423-425-4538

423-425-5380

08-12-04 (Fall)

12-01-04 (Spring)

DR. MIKE HANNUM

mhannum@utk.edu

University of TN - Knoxville

Claxton Complex A423

Knoxville, TN 37996-3400

865-974-4155

865-974-8718

08-13-04 (Fall)

11-19-04 (Spring)

05-06-05 (Summer)

DR. SANDRA COOLEY-NICHOLS

smcooley@memphis.edu

 

University of Memphis

 413D Ball Hall

 Memphis, TN 38152

901-678-2862

901-678-3881

07-31-04 (Fall)

10-31-04 (Spr/Sum)

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