State Early Childhood Technical Assistance Systems: Virginia

Virginia

• Section 619 State TA System Description
• 6/20/02

Basic design features

The Virginia Department of Education's eight regional Training and Technical Assistance Centers comprise a statewide system which emphasizes collaboration in planning and the provision of services to improve educational opportunities and contribute to the success of children and youth with disabilities (birth - 22 years); provide quality training and technical assistance in response to local, regional, and state needs; and increase the capacity of school personnel, service provider, and families to meet the needs of children and youth. Each T/TAC assesses training needs, plans, designs, delivers, and evaluates training efforts within that geographical region.

The Centers provide quality training and technical assistance in response to local, regional, and state needs. T/TAC services increase the capacity of school, school personnel, service providers, and families to meet the needs of children and youth. In addition to the general mission of Virginia’s T/TACs, the Centers located in the central and southwest areas of the state are field-testing expanding their services to providers of children who have disadvantages or are at-risk for school failure (birth – 9 years). Each has a planning committee that includes representatives from the LEAs, the SEA and families. In four of the eight T/TACs this committee also includes representatives from compensatory education programs.

The T/TACs collaborate in planning and are also accessed by staff working in Part C – Early Intervention, Head Start, DSQIC programs, and other programs serving children with disabilities. They may charge a nominal fee for training but scholarships are available.

Funding for TA services comes from state funds, Part B, Section 619 and federal set-aside, and from Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Primary clients/recipients of technical assistance services

All personnel serving children with disabilities birth through 21 are potential clients of the T/TACs. Each T/TAC has specific staff whose primary responsibility is to provide expertise around early childhood issues. In addition the SEA’s Section 619 Coordinator, Linda Bradford, is available in a part-time capacity (her time is split between 619 and school-age populations) to provide technical assistance and training to local school and special education administrators/directors.

Ways technical assistance is provided

TA is delivered through regional and local in-service training courses, consultation onsite and through e-mail and telephone, statewide conferences, and exchange of information among peers. The use of electronic bulletin boards, CD-ROMs, and video teleconferencing and distance education is increasing. Lending libraries for multi-media resources and technology are a main source of information, and there are satellite sites to access information and technology in the more rural counties in Virginia.

TA system operations

A management team composed of representatives from the SEA and each of the eight T/TACs meet every other month to coordinate TA activities across the state. There is no master calendar of TA activities, but each region maintains its own calendar of events. Each T/TAC also has its own Web Site that contains a calendar of activities with links to the other T/TACs. Those Web Sites may be accessed from the VADOE site at www.doe.virginia.gov/ . Each T/TAC conducts an individualized needs assessment with the LEAs in their region annually. Assessment of needs is also built into the evaluation of TA events. Oversight of the T/TACs is the responsibility of Dr Patricia Abrams, Director of Special Education.

Evaluation of the TA system

Each activity has a participant evaluation component, and annual focused interviews are conducted with the special education directors. Long-range evaluation will be part of the State Improvement Plan activities. Each T/TAC has a Web Site, as does the state office and each site is linked to the others.

Relationship of the TA system to the monitoring/supervision of local programs

The work of the TA system is influenced by information gathered through monitoring in that the LEAs determine their needs and set their agendas in part from that information.

Relationship of the TA system to the state’s Comprehensive System of Personnel Development (CSPD)

CSPD is one part of the TA system, and some of the T/TAC offerings are eligible for CEUs.

Relationship with the Part C program

Part C and Part B-preschool jointly plan and implement T/TA programs.

For further information, contact:

• Phyllis Mondak
• Office of Special Education
• State Department of Education
• PO Box 2120
• Richmond, VA 23218-2120
• Phone: (804) 225-2675
• Fax: (804) 371-8796
• Email: phyllis.mondak@doe.virginia.gov
• Web site: www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/Instruction/Sped/LEATECHNICALASSISTANCE.html