About Us
Statewide FDLRS Administration/HRD Project
The Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System (FDLRS) provides support
services to individuals working in exceptional student education programs
throughout the state. FDLRS Associate Centers provide services in four areas:
Human Resource Development (HRD), Child Find, Technology and Parent Services.
Specialists assigned to the FDLRS HRD function are responsible for planning,
delivery, follow-up and evaluation of professional development activities
related to services and programs in exceptional student education. Currently,
there are approximately sixty-five Human Resource Development Specialists
working throughout Florida’s sixty-seven districts to provide professional
development activities focused on increasing student achievement and enhancing
teacher performance in the classroom.
Thousands of educators, parents, district and agency staff and others have
participated in professional development activities sponsored by FDLRS HRD
personnel. Florida’s FDLRS Network is the longest standing network of support
service providers for exceptional student education in the country. Through the
continued collaborative efforts of the Department of Education’s Bureau of
Exceptional Education and Student Services (BEESS) and the FDLRS Network,
quality professional development opportunities continue to be offered for all
individuals working with students with disabilities and their families.
History
After analyzing services delivered through the FDLRS HRD Network over the past
several years, using data from the FDLRS training outcomes database and feedback
from FDLRS Associate Center managers, regional contacts and FDLRS HRD personnel,
the need for an administrative project to assist with statewide organization of
the FDLRS Associate Centers and management of the HRD initiatives became
evident. FDLRS network managers and HRD personnel requested assistance with
efforts to reduce duplication of activities, enhance professional development
activities, including integrating on-line instruction and delivery into current
HRD practices, coordinating regional and statewide professional development and
providing leadership and support to the managers. The network has also requested
assistance in developing a system to convert current face-to-face in-service
training to an on-line delivery format that would allow increased access to
staff development, while reducing out-of-classroom and after-hours time by
teachers. In response to these requests, the concept for the FDLRS
Administration/HRD Project was developed.
The FDLRS Administration/HRD Project is proud to collaborate with FDLRS Managers
and HRD Specialists throughout the state, in addition to specialized centers and
other discretionary projects supported by the Bureau of Exceptional Education
and Student Services.
FDLRS Administration/HRD Project main areas of emphasis
- Utilizing collaborative, data-based, needs assessment process to identify and
align professional development activities in support of the State Performance
Plan Indicators, Strategic Imperatives, Professional Development Evaluation
Protocol, K-12 Reform Efforts, Highly Qualified and Just Read, Florida!
- Coordinating and providing statewide and regional multi-level, research-based
professional development activities throughout the nineteen FDLRS Associate
Centers, with support to the five specialized centers that are aligned with
BEESS' SPP indicators.
- Providing relevant information, materials and other resources related to
professional development, exemplary practices and FDLRS services that support
the attainment of state/district goals related to ESE programs and services.
- Supporting development and implementation of statewide effective distance
learning professional development activities including Professional Development
Alternatives for Exceptional Student Educators (PDA-ESE), Middle Grades
Integrated Curriculum, and Elementary K-6 Online Content Review Modules.
FDLRS Administration/HRD Project goals will include supporting the FDLRS Associate Centers as they work to provide programs and services including, but not be limited to:
- Improving results for students with disabilities and support to families of
students with disabilities by providing technical assistance, coordination of
activities, and leadership to the 19 FDLRS Associate Centers, managers and 65
HRD personnel throughout the state and the Bureau of Exceptional Education and
Student Services.
- Managing statewide implementation of FDLRS professional development initiatives
including the efforts of 7 FDLRS HRD Workgroups in the areas of differentiated
instruction, reading, behavior, ESE Policies/Procedures, Low-Incidence,
Standards and SIM.
- Supporting the goal of having Highly Qualified certified educators in the
classroom and providing professional growth opportunities supporting IPDP goals,
by providing statewide coordination/implementation of BEESS' Professional
Development Alternatives for Exceptional Student Educators (PDA-ESE) Online
Modules.
- Providing alternate delivery methods for certification exam preparation by
coordinating the implementation of the Middle Grades Integrated Curriculum
Online Content Review Module and the Elementary K-6 Online Content Review Module
so that a minimum of 50% of all participants will obtain a passing score on the
targeted certification exam during the '08-‘09 school year.
- Supporting BEESS' Section Administrator, Program Coordinators and other project
liaisons for targeted BEESS professional development activities.
Funding
The FDLRS Administration/HRD project is funded by dollars made available through
Public Law 102-119, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA),
Part B, Section 611, CFDA # 84.027.
Contact Information
FDLRS Administration/HRD Project
3841 Reid St.
Palatka, FL 32177
Phone: (386) 312-2265
Fax: (386) 329-3835
Mary Ann Ahearn, Program Administrator ~ ahearnm@nefec.org
Valerie Watson, Program Coordinator ~ watsonv@nefec.org
Susan Varnes, Project Secretary ~ varness@nefec.org
Debbie Costine, Project Secretary ~ costined@nefec.org