Purpose of ECHO and Activities (From EC Supplement to SIG - 2/03)

ECHO's Purpose

Overall Goal

Improve the ability of graduates of personnel preparation programs to more effectively meet the needs of all students, including those with disabilities.

Purpose Stated in the RFP for Submission of SIG Supplement

Address personnel training needs of the state focusing on:

  • training and personnel
  • recruitment and retention
  • performance of children
  • improving overall program

Priorities

  • Applicant must describe activities that augment or complement those goals and activities of the SIG
  • Areas of particular interest
    • recruitment and retention
    • research based reading intervention strategies
    • research based positive behavior supports

Projects must:

  • Enhance SIG activities that have shown, based on data, to positively impact the SIG
  • Incorporate the expanded or new activities into the SIG ongoing evaluation
  • Incorporate the expanded or new activities in the project’s existing partnerships

ECHO Activities

Proposed Activities of the EC Supplement to the Kansas SIG

  • Specific Objective – To enable KS-SIG partners to augment and complement the successes of Goal 3 of the SIG – Early Childhood
    • increase early student success
    • reduce frequency of referrals to special education
    • show improved conditions for young children and families
  • Specific Objective – Address personnel supply and demand
    • ensure adequate supply of diverse, well qualified personnel
  • Specific Objective – Address staff development
    • expand personnel development systems to prepare all to align their work with school improvement initiatives

Focus of the EC Supplement to Kansas SIG

Promote systems change at three levels

  • Course Level – redesign courses to incorporate the fields of early childhood and early childhood special education
  • College/University Level – support alliance of regular and special education, support collaboration of infant/toddler/preschool/early elementary faculty, support alliances of multiple departments
  • State Level – support development of inter-university collaboration in offering course work through distance education efforts

Specific Activities

  • Make comparisons of course content to new teaching standards– identifying strengths and areas of need
  • Identify specific courses that can/will be delivered through e-learning opportunities
  • Identify potentials for common courses/common syllabi to enhance inter-university courses and transfer
  • Establish collaborative e-learning opportunities (possible first steps will be Reading, PBS)
  • Evaluate for possible replication the Great Plains Model
  • Develop RFP for college/universities to address system change at course and college/university level
  • Host Faculty retreat
  • Host retreat for College Administration and KSDE