Interdivisional Grant Program

• Projects must be sponsored by at least two divisions. Priority will be given to projects that demonstrate collaboration that includes small divisions.
• The proposal must include details of how the sponsoring divisions are supporting this grant.
• The projects may not duplicate an activity currently being undertaken by CEC but may support or enhance current CEC activities.
• Funding for projects will be from January 1st – December 31st each year. The project must be completed within 12 months of receipt of funding and funds must be expended by December 31st. If projects extend beyond 12 months, proposals must indicate which deliverable tasks will be funded by the grant in the initial 12 months of funding.

• Clearly stated goals and a well-defined outcome.
• Innovative project goals and outcomes.
• Alignment with the ongoing goals of the divisions involved.
• True collaboration between the sponsoring divisions.
• Alignment with the CEC’s strategic plan goals and objectives.
• Reasonableness of budget request and budget justification.  

• Proposals are due to CEC by October 1st.
• CEC staff review applications for completeness and submit to DRC for review. 
• The DRC will review proposals and provide recommendations to the CEC Board of Directors.
• CEC Board of Directors will review DRC’s recommendations at its November meeting.
• Funds will be made available and sent to the lead division in the first quarter of CEC’s fiscal year.
• Recipients of grants will be required to provide an interim progress report by July 1st and a final report by January 15th of the following year.
• The DRC will provide updates to the CEC Board of Directors on the status of the funded division grant projects as part of its interim and annual reports.  

DISES, DCDT, DART, and DEC propose to create an innovative cross division video podcast series to foster critical global conversations that support youth, families, and educators in culturally responsive and sustaining practices during and beyond the Birth-to-20 experience. Each podcast will highlight members of the CEC community, provide application activities, and share research-based quick facts and practices. This five-part series will walk our members through (1) self-awareness of intersectionality, (2) learning about others and uncovering our own positionality, (3) critical examination of current practices, (4) learning and unlearning culturally responsive and sustaining practices for living, learning, and working, and (5) reflective praxis. The collaborative series will not only acknowledge the great work being done across CEC divisions, but will amplify the gifts and practices of learners, families, and educators at the local, national, and global level.

The 2018 CEC Policy on the Prevention of and Response to Maltreatment established the need, but not the means to inform and support special education professionals knowledge, strategies and resources to prevent and respond to the maltreatment of their students’. This multi-Division grant effort is designed to address this short coming by canvasing the members of collaborating Division, other educational professionals and parents to identify, document, share and collaborate with individuals who are actively and effectively working to prevent and/or respond to the maltreatment of children with disabilities, i.e., “Bright Spots.” The resulting Bright Spot knowledge, strategies and resources will be shared via Web based technologies, (e.g., Web sites, bulletin boards, chat rooms, eblasts, etc.), conference presentations, course syllabi and professional development settings. The resulting knowledge base will provide an initial data base of “what works” to provide students with disabilities, their educators and parents with the knowledge, strategies and resources needed to enhance the safety and success of students with disabilities.

TED, TAG, and ISET propose to collaborate to recruit expert webinar panelists on AI in Teacher Education, Use of AI to Support Students with Disabilities and AI Literacy for Talent. This collaboration between the TAG, TED and ISET groups aims to represent diverse scholars, family members, teacher educators, and teachers while promoting a conversation on guidelines for the responsible and innovative use of AI tools in teacher education. This work will allow CEC to work across at least 3 Divisions to offer guidance on the rapid development of AI tools in education to increase the impact of CEC’s policy agenda for education professionals and for individuals with disabilities and/or gifts and talents. Through this project, CEC would set the bar for guidance. Being on the forefront of AI implications for the application and literacy of AI with exceptional populations to provide support to teachers, schools, and students.