Project Prepare

Preparation and Retention of Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education Personnel: Preparing for Evidence-Based Practice in High Need Early Childhood Settings

Scholarships are available for students during the fifth year of the Unified Early Childhood Education Program at the University of Florida. These awards are made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, through Project Prepare.

Amount of Award: Students may receive up to $13,750 for tuition during fall and spring semesters of the fifth year.

General Eligibility Requirements: Students who are enrolled in the Unified Early Childhood Program are eligible to apply for these awards. Priority will be given to qualified students who have a strong academic record and documentation of superior performance in field experiences.

Service Obligation: Award recipients must demonstrate satisfactory progress toward and completion of the Unified Early Childhood Program or repay any funding received.

Following completion of the program, recipients are required to complete two years of teaching in special education or in an inclusive early childhood program anywhere in the U.S. with children of any age.

The service obligation must be completed within a window of seven years from the time of completing the program or part or all of the funding received must be repaid.

Coaching and Evaluation: Award recipients have the option of receiving support from a UF mentor for the first year of teaching following completion of the program. Measures of child progress, employer satisfaction and family satisfaction will be collected as an ongoing evaluation of the UF Unified Early Childhood Education teacher preparation program.