Student development center receives $1.3M in state funding

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education issued $1.3 million in funding toward a professional development center for southwest Missouri education.

The Southwest Regional Professional Development Center will use the funding to improve learning initiatives for students, particularly those who receive special education services, according to a news release.

“The contract is important because, without this source of money, the schools would have a lot of difficulty in implementing the kind of work that research shows to be effective for learners, and the universities around the state wouldn’t have sufficient resources to support that work,” Program Coordinator Rick Breault said in the release.

Activities to be funded include:

• collaborative work initiatives promoting school-based approaches for improving instruction and assessment, especially for students with disabilities;
• the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports program, helping teachers develop more effective disciplinary policies; and
• programs helping schools teach English and help blind or visually impaired students.

The Southwest Regional Professional Development Center is sponsored by the Missouri State University College of Education and funded by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The organization collaborates with southwest Missouri school districts to provide support services, the release said.