The Mississippi Department of Education’s proposal has been accepted by the United States Department of Education’s Office of Special Education to renew funding for the Realizing Excellence for ALL Children in Mississippi (REACH MS) project.
With over $5.6 million in support over the next five years, REACH MS will continue serving as Mississippi’s State Personnel Development Grant focused on implementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) at elementary, middle and high schools throughout the state. To date, REACH MS has trained staff from 673 schools.
Originally awarded to the Department of Education in 2005, the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) School of Education have served as MDE’s partners and grant facilitators since its inception.
With nearly 30 years of experience in curriculum, instruction and special education, Hollie Filce is the principal investigator for the grant. She and Selina Merrell are co-directors of the project.
“As a professor at USM, I get to experience the impact education makes in the lives of pre-service teachers,” said Filce. “Working with REACH MS affords me the wonderful opportunity to also see continuing education and training influence in-service teachers currently working with Mississippi’s K-12 students.
“Current and future generations will reap the benefits of this investment in learning strategies that can transform the educational experiences of children in Mississippi.”
Through increasing education and training in UDL, PBIS and SEL approaches, Filce believes REACH MS is helping school districts remove barriers to learning and create environments where all students succeed.
UDL-aligned strategies allow flexibility in teaching methods and guide the development of adaptable learning environments to accommodate individual learning differences.
PBIS are designed to enhance students’ understanding of behavior expectations at school through a three-tiered framework that improves and integrates all data, systems and practices affecting student outcomes every day.
SEL assists students in developing and using the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to have healthy identities, manage their emotions, achieve goals, feel and show empathy for others, form and maintain supportive relationships and make responsible and caring decisions.
Noal Cochran, interim director of the USM School of Education and associate dean for educator preparation in the College of Education and Human Sciences, said, “REACH MS is a great example of how the University of Southern Mississippi and its School of Education maintain strong partnerships with the Mississippi Department of Education, as well as P-12 educational partners across the state.
“The services provided by REACH MS are incredibly important for numerous Mississippi school districts, particularly those who otherwise would not have access to specialized training and support in UDL, PBIS and SEL.”
To learn more about REACH MS, visit reachms.org.
For information about the USM School of Education, including its degree programs and the work of its faculty, visit usm.edu/education.
