Educator Services Teaching & Learning Curriculum Resources
2008 Special Education Professional Development Institutes

Program Information

Registration/Application Procedures

To register and obtain detailed information, please contact the person listed for the institute of your choice. Since spaces are limited, you should register as early as possible. All institutes are open to educators from schools, districts, approved private special education schools and educational collaboratives across the state. Participants will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Funding for lodging may be available to applicants accepted to special education summer institutes who live at least 60 miles from an institute's location. Please contact the institute's provider for more information. Participants must attend the entire program of the selected institute, including fall follow up sessions.

Participation Requirements

Each institute will provide approximately 45 hours of instruction between June and August 2008 as well as approximately 15 additional hours from September 2008 to January 2009. Participants are required to attend all sessions, take part in pre-and post-assessments of course content, and complete projects outside of class that demonstrate their learning. Teachers' institute-related work should be included in their personal professional development plans and should be linked to school and district priorities.

Professional Development Points and Graduate Credit

Participants may earn up to 67.5 PDPs (unless otherwise specified) for attending all sessions, taking the pre-and post-assessments and completing a project that documents their learning. No PDPs will be awarded for partial completion. Most institutes offer optional graduate credit for which participants may register at their own expense.

Cancellation Policy

The Department reserves the right to cancel any institute that does not have sufficient registration. In case of cancellation, teachers who have registered for the institute will be notified by the institute provider prior to the planned opening day of the institute.

Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Contact Information

The Office of Special Education Planning and Policy coordinate the Special Education Professional Development Institutes. For general information about the program, please contact Linda Tarmy at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education: ltarmy@doe.mass.edu 781-338-3384.

   2008 Professional Development Institutes