College awarded $2.2 million Department of Education Grant

The College of Education has been awarded $2.2 million by the Pennsylvania Department of Education through its Eligible Partnerships Postsecondary grant program.

This grant will fund a new project, Pre-Service Differently, which will be led by Bloomsburg University, in collaboration with Kutztown University, the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit, PLS 3rd Learning, Research for Better Schools, as well as seven local school districts – Bloomsburg, Central Columbia, Mount Carmel, Shamokin, Millville, Warrior Run, and Columbia-Montour Vocational Technical School.

Pre-Service Differently will implement an online tool aligned to the PA Standards Aligned System to provide a continuous feedback loop to improve teacher preparation, induction, and professional development programs.

For Bloomsburg University education majors, this project translates into improved field experiences through the use of customized software. The software will provide budding teachers with assessment as well as modules that they can complete to increase their teaching ability and be matched with appropriate cooperating teachers for student teaching. Ultimately, this project aims to provide pre-service and novice teachers with the skills to increase student achievement in English language arts and mathematics.

McDowell Institute Nets State Grant

Bloomsburg University’s McDowell Institute for Teacher Excellence in Positive Behavior Support has received a Pennsylvania Safe Schools/Healthy Students Partnership (PA SS/HS) award of approximately $863,000 from the Pennsylvania Office of Mental Health. The PA SS/HS Partnership is, in turn, funded by a multi-million dollar federal grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The goal of the PA SS/HS Partnership is to create safe and supportive schools and communities in three Local Education Agencies – Northeastern School District in York County, Carbon-Lehigh Intermediate Unit in Lehigh County, and Penncrest School District in Crawford County.

The project also involves cooperation with state-level departments of education, public welfare, and juvenile justice in concert with their local counterparts. The project aims to decrease bullying, youth violence, and criminal behavior as well as promote healthy development, social and emotional learning, and academic achievement of children and youth.

Dr. Timothy Knoster, professor of special education, will serve as the lead evaluator and chief designer and provider of technical assistance for the project. He will be responsible for developing, organizing, and providing technical assistance to state and local level parties involved in the project’s implementation.

Congratulations to the McDowell Institute and Dr. Knoster!

Reading Program Receives National Recognition

The Master’s in Reading program at Bloomsburg University has been nationally recognized by the International Reading Association through the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation’s Specialized Program Association.

The International Reading Association is a non-profit, global network committed to worldwide literacy. It reviews advanced programs that prepare students for careers in reading education, specifically reading specialists and literacy coaches. In order to receive national recognition, a program must meet high professional standards, as documented through a performance-based assessment system.

This is a landmark achievement for Bloomsburg University’s reading program, which has never before received this designation. A special thanks and congratulations to Dr. Virginia Bonomo and Dr. Cherie Roberts, who were instrumental in this process.

Additionally, three other Bloomsburg University programs – mid-level education, special education, and English – maintained their national recognition through the Specialized Program Association process.

To learn more about Bloomsburg’s Master of Education in Reading program, visit www.bloomu.edu/gradschool/reading.