Skip to main content
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • Syracuse University Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
Sections
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • Syracuse University Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community

School Of Education Receives $9 Million to Improve Outcomes for Students with Disabilities in 51 Area Districts

Wednesday, December 18, 2019, By Karly Grifasi
Share
School of Education

The School of Education has been awarded over $9 million in funding from the New York State Education Department’s Office of Special Education to provide technical support and professional development in dozens of school districts regionally, over the next five years.

The grant contracts will support the development of the Mid-State Regional Partnership Center and two Family and Community Engagement Centers (early childhood and school aged), and will be housed in the School of Education. The capacity-building projects will bring a community of practitioners together to support teachers, administrators, students and families in 51 school districts to improve graduation rates and post-school outcomes for students with disabilities.

Beth Myers, Christine Ashby, and Alan Foley, School of Education faculty members and directors of research and service centers dedicated to improving the lives of people with disabilities in schools and the community through inclusion, are the co-principal investigators on the grants.

“There are pockets of work occurring around the state to improve special education outcomes and facilitate better communication between parents, teachers and districts,” says Christy Ashby, associate professor of inclusive special education and disability. “This grant creates a unified strategy to support systems change in all schools,” she adds.“I am thrilled that the School of Education will play a part in developing and delivering that strategy.”

“Syracuse University’s School of Education is the ideal site for the Regional Partnership Center and the Family and Community and Engagement Centers,” says Joanna Masingila, dean of the School of Education. “These projects build on a strong foundation of comprehensive and cohesive expertise in disability research and practice, education and advocacy with the support and framework of a top-tier research institution. With several centers in the School focused on disability and inclusion and a rich history of leadership in this field, Syracuse is well positioned to develop and execute this next wave of systems improvement across the region.”

The School of Education’s pursuit to create equitable and inclusive schools has been supported by federal and state funding for almost three decades, with past contracts to operate the state’s early childhood and school aged assistance programs (Syracuse University Parent Assistance Center and the Early Childhood Direction Center), which completed in 2019. Currently, the Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education/InclusiveU and the Fit Families program provide parents, students and professionals with resources to support communication strategies and trainings on inclusion in school and community.

The new NYSED funded centers will serve the Mid-State Region, including the Syracuse City School District and the BOCES regions of Onondaga-Cortland-Madison, Cayuga-Onondaga, CiTi Oswego, and Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga. The School of Education has hired new staff expertise in early childhood inclusive education, in addition to the directors from the former Syracuse University Parent Assistance Center and the Early Childhood Direction Center to facilitate the trainings and provide support to the broad network of partner districts.

  • Author

Karly Grifasi

  • Recent
  • Empowering Learners With Personalized Microcredentials, Stackable Badges
    Thursday, July 3, 2025, By Hope Alvarez
  • WISE Women’s Business Center Awarded Grant From Empire State Development, Celebrates Entrepreneur of the Year Award
    Thursday, July 3, 2025, By Dawn McWilliams
  • Rose Tardiff ’15: Sparking Innovation With Data, Mapping and More
    Thursday, July 3, 2025, By News Staff
  • Paulo De Miranda G’00 Received ‘Much More Than a Formal Education’ From Maxwell
    Thursday, July 3, 2025, By Jessica Youngman
  • Law Professor Receives 2025 Onondaga County NAACP Freedom Fund Award
    Thursday, July 3, 2025, By Robert Conrad

More In Campus & Community

Rose Tardiff ’15: Sparking Innovation With Data, Mapping and More

While pursuing a bachelor’s degree in geography in the Maxwell School, Rose Tardiff ’15 became involved with the Salt City Harvest Farm, a community farm near Syracuse where newcomers from all over the world grow food and make social connections….

Paulo De Miranda G’00 Received ‘Much More Than a Formal Education’ From Maxwell

Early in his career, Paulo De Miranda G’00 embarked on several humanitarian aid and peacekeeping assignments around the world. “When we concluded our tasks, we wrote reports about our field work, but many times felt that little insight was given…

Law Professor Receives 2025 Onondaga County NAACP Freedom Fund Award

College of Law Professor Suzette Meléndez, director of the Syracuse Medical-Legal Partnership Clinic, was honored with a 2025 Onondaga County NAACP Freedom Fund Award at their 45th Annual Freedom Fund Award Dinner. Meléndez received the Maye, McKinney & Melchor Freedom…

A&S Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to Retire; New Appointment Announced

After over four decades of dedicated service to the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), Professor Gerald Greenberg is retiring at the end of 2025. He transitioned from his role as A&S senior associate dean for academic affairs; humanities; and…

Delaware Nonprofit Leader Begins 2-Year Term as Alumni Association President

Alonna Berry ’11, executive director of the Delaware Center for Justice and a graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences, is the new president of the Syracuse University Alumni Association (SUAA) Board of Directors, as of July 1, 2025….

Subscribe to SU Today

If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.

Connect With Us

  • X
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
Social Media Directory

For the Media

Find an Expert Follow @SyracuseUNews
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • @SyracuseU
  • @SyracuseUNews
  • Social Media Directory
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Campus Status
  • Syracuse.edu
© 2025 Syracuse University News. All Rights Reserved.