§ 23-38.10:1. Traineeships for education of special education personnel; collaboration and consultation with Boar...
A. There are hereby established traineeships which shall be awarded to persons who are interested in working in programs for the education of handicapped children for either part-time or full-time study in programs designed to qualify them as special education personnel in the public schools. Applicants for such traineeships shall be graduates of a recognized college or university.
The award of such traineeships shall be made by the State Board of Education and the number of awards during any one year shall depend upon the amounts appropriated by the General Assembly for this purpose. The amount of each traineeship shall be $450 for a minimum of six semester hours of course work in areas relating to special education to be taken by the applicant during a single semester or summer session.
This program shall be administered by the State Department of Education under rules and regulations promulgated by the State Board of Education.
B. To increase the number of students pursuing careers in teaching and to ensure a more diverse representation among classroom teachers, particularly at the elementary and middle school grade levels, the State Council of Higher Education shall work collaboratively with the Board of Education in the development and implementation of the Virginia Teaching Scholarship Loan Program, pursuant to § 22.1-290.01. The Diversity in Teaching Initiative component of the Program shall be developed in accordance with the provisions of the appropriation act governing the administration of the Better Information Project within the Pre-Collegiate Program under the Virginia Plan for Equal Educational Opportunity in Higher Education, and shall be designed to attract and encourage elementary and secondary school students, particularly students of diverse backgrounds, to pursue careers in teaching. The pilot projects of the Diversity in Teaching Initiative may include outreach activities such as mentorship programs, linkages between public schools and institutions of higher education, and other programs and activities designed to generate interest in the teaching profession.
In addition, the State Council of Higher Education and the Board of Education shall make available to parents, students, teachers, high school guidance counselors, and academic advisors and financial aid administrators at public and private institutions of higher education information concerning the Virginia Teaching Scholarship Loan Program, including the Diversity in Teaching Initiative, eligibility for the loans, and the terms and conditions under which such loans are awarded, in order that students interested in pursuing careers in the teaching profession may be advised of the availability of such financial assistance.
(1972, c. 676; 1997, c. 899; 2000, cc. 570, 597, 623, 645, 719; 2001, c. 660.)
Sections: Previous 23-37.3 23-37.4 23-37.5 23-38 23-38.1 23-38.2 23-38.3 23-38.4 23-38.5 23-38.6 23-38.7 23-38.8 23-38.9 23-38.10 23-38.10:1Last modified: April 16, 2009