Touro University
California
Contact:
Jim Mitchell
(707) 638-5901 (office)
james.mitchell@touro.edu
For Immediate Release
Vallejo, California, September 10, 2008 - The College of Education at Touro University has been awarded an $800,000 Project ACT grant by the United States Department of Education to improve the education of students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The grant is for $200,000 per year to provide coursework leading to a master’s degree in special education with an emphasis in ASD. Touro was one of many institutions in 25 states to receive a grant from an $11.8 million fund. Some of the other universities receiving similar grants are Auburn University, Florida State University and Boston College.
This project will recruit, educate, retain, and support 56 special educators highly qualified to teach students with ASD. Project ACT will train and graduate four cohorts of 14 teachers by providing a master of arts degree in special education with an emphasis in ASD. This project is based upon the increased need for special education teachers who have expertise in teaching students with ASD. This need is in part based upon the huge increase in the number of students being identified with ASD in the public schools. The overarching goal of Project ACT is to increase the educational outcomes for students with ASD by implementing coursework that incorporates research-based practices with integrated training and practice opportunities and enhance the skill-sets of special educators. Stipends are available for 14 students per year. The grant was written by Dr. Keith Storey, chairman of the Special Education Department of the College of Education.
Interested individuals may contact Keith Storey at kstorey@touro.edu.
About Touro College and Touro University
Touro College and Touro University (http://www.touro.edu) are regionally accredited, not-for-profit institutions. Touro has experienced phenomenal growth since its founding in 1971, and is currently educating approximately 17,500 students at graduate and professional programs in New York, California, Florida, Nevada, Jerusalem, Moscow, Berlin and Paris. Touro continues to have a profound impact on the lives of its students and on the Jewish and general communities. For more information, please go to: http://www.touro.edu/media/
Touro University
California
1310 Johnson Ln.
Vallejo, CA. 94592
(707) 638-5200
www.tu.edu