What is SPDG?
The State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG), administered through the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) within the U.S. Department of Education, assists state education agencies and their partners to improve results for children with disabilities through systems of professional development and dissemination of knowledge about best practices to educators and families.
Over the course of Tennessee’s 5-year grant, training, coaching and support will focus on helping improve academic outcomes for students with disabilities and enhancing their post-secondary opportunities, as well as increasing the alignment between early childhood programs and the K-12 system to help ensure that students enter kindergarten with the academic, social and emotional skills necessary for success.
The Tennessee State Personnel Development Grant is administered through the Tennessee Department of Education, Office of Special Populations, and works with collaborating school districts across the state.
Contacts
General Information
Theresa Nicholls, SPDG Project Director
Email: [email protected]
Office: (615) 741-0572
Cell: (615) 347-1909
Kate Martin, SPDG Project Manager
Email: [email protected]
Office: (615) 253-4436
Gary Smith, Director of Early Childhood Special Education
Email: [email protected]
Office: (615) 741-9871
Donna Parker, SPDG Project Manager
Email: [email protected]
Office: (615) 476-1183
SPDG Family Partner
(Support and Training for Exceptional Parents)
Karen Harrison, Director
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (423) 639-0125
Gina Lynette, Director of Communications, Learning and Development
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 800-280-STEP (7837)
SPDG Logistics and Technology Partner
University of Tennessee Center for Literacy, Education and Employment
Lisa Crawford
Email: [email protected]
Office: (865) 974-6659
University of Kentucky Human Development Institute
David McKay, SPDG Evaluator
Email: [email protected]
Office:
SPDG Regional K-12 Consultants
(Supporting SPDG participating K-12 districts in each CORE region)
Current consultant contact list