SECTION XII: PERSONNEL STANDARDS
Policy Statement
It is the policy of the Palau MOE that personnel employed by the Special Education Program and by any other agency providing special education and related services to children with disabilities are fully trained and competent within their discipline and meet the standards set by the MOE. These standards are consistent with all Republic approved or recognized certification, licensing or other comparable requirements that apply to the profession or discipline in which a person is providing special education or related services.
The MOE assures that the standards for special education are the same as and therefore, consistent with the requirements for regular education. That standard is currently the Associates degree for all teaching positions within the MOE. Due to a severe shortage of teachers in all areas (elementary, secondary and special education), many teachers are hired and retained under provisional arrangements in order to ensure the delivery of both general education and special education services. The MOE is implementing a variety of strategies; particularly through the use of remaining SEPPIE grant funds to address this critical issue. Some of these steps are highlighted in the section that follows.
Implementation Procedures
A. The MOE has developed a set of draft classification standards for public school teachers in Palau, but to date (March 2008), these have not yet gone through the approval and adoption process. The following activities ensure that children with disabilities continue to be provided with quality special education services. When any such new standards are adopted, any changes will be incorporated into these special education policies as appropriate.
B. Extensive pre-service and in-service training activities are continually being implemented through SEPPIE grant, General Supervision Enhancement Grant activities and through IDEA ’04 Part B funds to ensure quality services to students with disabilities.
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All provisional teachers are supervised by Consulting Resource Teachers who meet the teaching standards of the Palau MOE.
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All special education teachers with high school diplomas are required to maintain active enrollment in the teacher education program at Palau Community College leading to an Associates degree.
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Special education teachers with Associates degrees are encouraged to enroll and maintain active enrollment in a teacher education program leading to a Bachelors degree or Masters. Programs are available through Palau Community College in cooperation with the University of Guam and San Diego State University.
The establishment of activities to bring teachers who do not meet degree requirements up to the AA degree standard has been a major goal under Palau’s SEPPIE grant program. Teachers complete coursework during the summer and/or during the school year as schedules permit. Enrollment costs are subsidized under the SEPPIE grant program through 2008-09.
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The MOE hires and certifies all teachers, related services specialists, and administrators. The MOE does not hire psychological services personnel. These services are provided through a Memorandum of Agreement with the MOH. There are no private schools for children with disabilities on the island. Hence, no higher standards exist for any discipline area other than those of the MOE and MOH.
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In-service Implementation. All special education personnel are required to participate in in-service training sessions as either participants or as presenters. In-service trainings are planned by the Special Education Coordinator, and core team staff, in conjunction with technical assistance providers from the University of Guam, University of Hawaii, Western Regional Resource Center, National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center and other sources. Contracted consultants are also utilized for specific training needs. These activities are identified as part of the SPP/APR process and the changing needs of our student population and staff.
a. Scheduled in-service trainings for teaching staff take place during the summer and at other times throughout the year. In addition, training sessions on specific topics are conducted when off island consultants are available or when a specialist sees the need to present information or methods to a specific group of teachers.
b. In-service training for general education teachers and administrators is provided by inclusion of general education staff in special education trainings, offering special workshops in remote village and island schools for all staff and principals and up-date meetings provided by staff and consultants. Most in-service trainings are available to both general and special education staff.
c. All related services except physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech, social work services and audiology, are provided by special education teachers. A cadre of teachers completed the ‘Related Services Assistant’ certification program in Palau in 2006, offered though the University of Hawaii. Other support personnel like bus and boat drivers are provided training in bus and boat safety, CPR, lifts and transfers and other needed areas.
d. Parents are considered to be a very important part of special education service delivery in Palau. Parents are invited to trainings provided on-island for teachers and staff by the Special Education Program or other TA providers or consultants.