The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA, 2004) is a law ensuring services to children with disabilities throughout the nation. IDEIA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to more than 6.5 million eligible infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities. The Act increased the need in Kentucky for qualified special education and early childhood teachers. The Division of Exceptional Children Services (DECS) addresses this need through the Kentucky Traineeship Program in Special Education (Traineeship Program) by allocating federal professional development (CSPD) funds to provide tuition assistance for special educators and preschool teachers in obtaining certification in the area in which they are teaching. With the increasing shortage of fully certified teachers seeking teaching positions in special education and early childhood education, a major focus of the Traineeship program is on teachers seeking alternative certification, emergency or probationary certification, and working toward full certification while enrolled in a Kentucky institution of higher education.

Traineeship Program funds are available to help defray part of the tuition costs for courses that lead to teacher certification in special education or early childhood education. Currently approved programs include the University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, Morehead State University, Eastern Kentucky University, Kentucky State University, Murray State University, Western Kentucky University, Northern Kentucky University, Georgetown College, University of the Cumberlands, Bellarmine University, Spalding University, Asbury College, Brescia University, Campbellsville University, and Union College.
The areas of certification approvable are Visually Impaired, Hearing Impaired, Learning & Behavior Disorders, Moderate & Severe Disabilities, Early Childhood Education IECE, Communication Disabilities, *Director of Special Education (explanation below).

Note:
Funding for graduate students seeking certification as Director of Special Education (DOSE) is no longer available through the Traineeship Program. With the current reduction in funding and the critical need for special education teachers, only individuals actually serving a district in the primary role of DOSE on either a probationary or temporary provisional certificate will be eligible for Traineeship tuition assistance.

Important Deadline Dates
Applications (Part A for continuing students) must be postmarked on or before the following deadlines for each semester:
Fall Semester: July 1
Spring Semester: November 1
Summer Semester: April 1

Grade submission is required for each course funded by the Traineeship Program.
Deadline for Grade Submission:
January 15 for courses completed during the fall semester;
June 15 for courses completed during the spring semester; and
September 15 for courses completed during the summer semester.

Contact Information: Traineeship Program Northern Kentucky University 245 Johns Hill Road Highland Heights, KY 41099 traineeship@nku.edu 859-442-3506 pn 859-442-3529 fax