Institutions of Higher Education (IHE)

Training Opportunities

• Tuition Support for Students Pursuing Physical/Health Disabilities Licensure
• P/HD Scholarship Application.pdf
• The Minnesota Collaborative Preparation Program for Teachers of Special Education: Blind or Visually Impaired
• The Minnesota model for training teachers of the Blind or Visually Impaired is a hybrid model of online and face to face training. 
• The Minnesota Department of Education through the Minnesota Low Incidence Projects at Metro ECSU along with Salus University in Philadelphia, PA, collaborate to provide a graduate level licensure preparation program to prepare teachers of Minnesota students who are blind or visually impaired. The program meets Minnesota requirements for full professional licensure as a Teacher of Special Education: Blind or Visually Impaired (BVI).  There is an additional program available to those who would want to add the certification for Orientation and Movility.
• The Program of Study lists fourteen graduate level specialization courses (31 credits) and the final practicum (6 credits) available to a cohort of students over a two and one-half year period.
  
  Course scheduling and location vary to facilitate program accessibility for candidates statewide. The course format includes class meetings face-to-face monthly, online daily discussion board activity, readings, projects, and some online interactive webinars.   The face-to-face school year class meetings occur primarily on week-ends. During the summer class meetings occur during the day and some courses may be presented in a condensed period of days.
  
  The program is especially designed for students who already hold another Minnesota special education teaching license. It can, however, also accommodate individuals with either a general education teaching license or no teaching license at all. These individuals would have additional coursework to complete prior to or along with the specialization courses.  It is suggested that the core special education courses be completed prior to application for a cohort.
  The courses are offered in conjunction with coursework on the Salus University campus, so tuition costs are determined by the university. The Program has been able to provide partial tuition support to previous and current students, along with scholarships from Salus University.
  
  Funding for student support is made possible with a grant from the Minnesota Department of Education to the Minnesota Low Incidence Projects at Metro ECSU.
  The source of the funds is federal award Special ducation – Program to States, CFDA 84.027A. It is possible that partial tuition support may continue to be available in the future. 
  
  Additional information about the program is available. Call the following program contact:
  Barb Lhotka, Program Coordinator
  612-618-5718 | barblhotka@embarqmail.com