Special Education Teacher Support Academy (SETSA)

The goal of SETSA is to build the capacity and efficacy of early-career special education teachers by improving teacher effectiveness and reducing teacher attrition in K-12 classrooms. The Academy is designed for early-career (beginning year through year 2) special education teachers and experienced special educators interested in being trained as instructional coaches. It will enhance your knowledge and ability to meet the needs of students with disabilities successfully.

This is the first year for this academy. The focus will be on providing learning opportunities in the areas of professional knowledge, learning environment, instructional planning, instructional delivery, and assessment for and of learning. It will simultaneously provide learning opportunities in instructional coaching for those educators identified as coaches. Practical strategies and tools will be shared around topics that include disability awareness/inclusive practices, IEPs, student/parent involvement, specially-designed instruction/differentiation/ UDL, SEL, classroom management, self-determination, transition, co-teaching, and reading and math.

Additionally, SETSA early-career teachers and instructional coaches will transition to the Virginia New Teacher Support Program, an already established teacher induction program within the College of Education and James Madison University. This transition will ensure continuity of support beyond the funding window of SETSA

A $500 stipend will be provided to each participant.