WASHINGTON, DC - In an effort to ensure that Rhode Island public school teachers have the training and tools they need to assist young students with disabilities, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today announced that the U.S. Department of Education is awarding the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education $581,000 in federal funding for teacher development.

"Investing in teachers is critical to raising student achievement in the classroom. Professional development is an essential part of providing our teachers with the knowledge and expertise they need to educate our children," stated Reed, a member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. "This federal funding will help ensure that Rhode Island's teachers have the skills to help students with disabilities succeed. This program will help our school districts recruit, prepare, and retain highly-qualified teachers."

The Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will use the funding to increase the number of highly-qualified middle- and high school special education teachers in Rhode Island's schools and create a teacher and early childhood educator professional development system aligned with Rhode Island's Early Learning Standards. It will also help prepare new teachers so they are able to provide effective instruction to students with disabilities and develop a statewide system of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports for these students.

The funding will be provided through the State Personnel Development Grant Program which assists the state in reforming and improving their systems for personnel preparation and professional development in order to help improve results for children with disabilities. Senator Reed was active in developing several of the State Personnel Development provisions in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 2004.

In the U.S. Senate, Reed has been a strong supporter of programs to help increase teacher preparation, recruitment, and retention. In April, he introduced the Preparing, Recruiting, and Retaining Education Professionals (PRREP) Act, a $500 million initiative that strengthens the Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants program of the Higher Education Act and uses proven strategies to provide teachers with effective teaching skills, high-quality mentoring and support, and enhanced opportunities for professional development.

Reed worked to include the PRREP Act in the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA) which passed the HELP Committee in June. That legislation is currently pending before the full Senate for consideration.