Project DE-SPEC
Project Delaware Special Educator Certification (Project DE-SPEC) is designed to address the special education teacher shortage. Project DE-SPEC will prepare approximately 64 current practicing teachers to provide effective, culturally and linguistically responsive and equitable instruction, interventions, and services to improve outcomes for students with disabilities. Using a focus on evidence-based practices and interwoven culturally responsive teaching, scholars who successfully complete the coursework in Project DE-SPEC will be eligible for K-12 special education certification through the state of Delaware. With this certification these teachers will be qualified to teach students with disabilities which will contribute to a reduction in the current special education teacher shortage in Delaware. Scholars will be given full tuition support to remove the financial burden of pursuing a certificate in special education.
Project DE-SPEC is funded by a grant from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) within the U.S. Department of Education (Grant #H325M230015).
Project DE-SPEC scholars will complete 5 different online special education courses:
- EDUC 521: Special Education Legislation and Policy
- EDUC 517: Diagnostic Assessment and Literacy Instruction for Students with Disabilities
- EDUC 518: Education Evaluation and IEP Development
- EDUC 519: Universally Designed Curriculum and Instruction for Students with Disabilities
- EDUC 520: Behavior Analysis and Modification for Students with Disabilities
After successful completion of all 5 courses, scholars will take and pass the Praxis Subject Assessment – Foundational Knowledge. Once the Praxis has been passed, scholars can apply for and receive their Special Education Teacher of Students with Disabilities Standard Certificate from the state of Delaware making them eligible for special education teaching positions in Delaware.
Meet the Project DE-SPEC Cohort 2 Scholars
- Sadie Andros - Cape Henlopen School District
- Farrah Barclay Brown - Campus Community School
- Kimberly Bolden - Colonial School District
- Julie Boyd - Cape Henlopen School District
- Korine Burke-Reed - Cape Henlopen School District
- Mellissa Carr - Colonial School District
- Neisha Coursey - Appoquinimink School District
- Tresha Edmond - Colonial School District
- Courtney Farbman - Indian River School District
- Cynthia Farrell - Cape Henlopen School District
- Heidi Furman - Cape Henlopen School District
- Maya Gray - Colonial School District
- Elizabeth Green - Cape Henlopen School District
- Gary Hall - Brandywine School District
- Katie Izykowski - Cape Henlopen School District
- Michele Joseph - Seaford School District
- Leandra Lewis - Appoquinimink School District
- Kristin Loffreda-Mancinelli - Cape Henlopen School District
- Samantha Marshall - Laurel School District
- Ursula McCoy - Colonial School District
- Louise Ngido - Cape Henlopen School District
- Alexis Pascual - Cape Henlopen School District
- Jennifer Perdick - Cape Henlopen School District
- Emilio Perry - Milford School District
- Louis Pires - Cape Henlopen School District
- Michelle Riley - Campus Community School
- Laurie Smailer - Cape Henlopen School District
- Rachael Smith - Cape Henlopen School District
Recruitment
Applications for Cohort 2 are now closed. Check back next Spring if you are interested in applying to be part of Cohort 3.
Project DE-SPEC In the Media
- Office of Special Education Programs visits DSU over the summer
- New certification program tackles shortage of special education teachers in Delaware - WDMT
- New certificate program aims to reduce Delaware’s ‘severe shortages’ of special education teachers - WHYY
- DSU educator awarded grant to address special ed shortage
- DSU professor begins program to certify more special education teachers - WDEL
- DSU prof gets $1M grant to create special ed certificate
- DSU educator receives grant to create special education certification program
- DSU professor begins program to certify more special education teachers
- New certificate program aims to reduce Delaware’s ‘severe shortages’ of special education teachers
- New Delaware project aims to accelerate special education certification: Education roundup
Personnel Information
Dr. Rachel Juergensen is the Principal Investigator and Project Director for Project DE-SPEC. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Special Education and Coordinator of the Special Education Program at DSU. With 20 years of experience in education as a classroom teacher, administrator, and state leader for schoolwide positive behavior support, her experiences and knowledge related to equitable opportunities for students with disabilities are critical to the innovative work happening with special education teacher preparation at DSU. Dr. Juergensen’s research interests include supporting both preservice and inservice teachers as they work to provide equitable opportunities for students with disabilities and students experiencing difficulty in their classrooms.
Project DE-SPEC Research
On July 11, 2025, scholars from cohort 1 presented their research at Project DE-SPEC Research Day. Scholars presented a chosen action research project from their program coursework.
