Personnel Development Partnership at

University of South Florida

The purpose of the Personnel Development Partnership is to increase the State’s capacity to recruit, prepare and retain highly qualified personnel in Florida that provide instructional and related services to children with disabilities.

USF Regional PDP Districts

DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota

Florida Personnel Development Website

Para-To-Teacher Program

Personnel Development Partnerships Grant

The Para-To-Teacher Support Program provides financial assistance for paraprofessionals to earn a bachelor’s degree in special education.  The program provides tuition support and book stipends for minimum of two courses per semester to paraprofessionals who are currently working in Florida’s public schools assisting students with disabilities. Upon completion of the program, the participant agrees to teach students with disabilities in a Florida Public school

Please visit the Paraprofessional Support webpage for further information.

Autism and Severe/Profound Endorsements Support Program

Personnel Development Partnership (PDP) / State Personnel Development Grant

The purpose of the Autism and Severe/Profound Endorsement Support Program is to provide financial assistance to Exceptional Student Education (ESE) teachers who are working in Florida’s public schools with students identified as autistic or severe/profound.  The program provides up to $1000 per course for tuition support.  Applicants must sign a program/service agreement upon admission to the program.  Upon completion of the program, the participant agrees to teach students identified as autistic or severe/profound in a Florida public school for a minimum of one year for every six hours of tuition support received.

Please visit the Autism Spectrum Disorder & the Severe/Profound Disabilities webpage for further information.

Speech/Language Pathology Master’s Degree Support Program,

Personnel Development Partnerships Grant, BEESS/FLDOE

Program Description

The Speech/Language Pathology (SLP) Master’s Degree Support Program provides financial assistance for participants to earn a master’s degree in speech/language pathology.  The program provides tuition support (up to $1000 per semester) to program participants who are willing to work in Florida’s public schools with students who have communication disorders.

Admissions Criteria

In order to be accepted into the SLP Master’s Degree Support Program, the applicant must meet the following criteria:

For an application or more specific program details, please contact Peggy Forgan, state director, at pforgan@fau.edu or by phone 561-799-8465.

Dr. Daphne Thomas, Principal Investigator (PI)

Dr. Jeannie Kleinhammer-Tramill, Co-PI

Cari Barber, PDP Project Coordinator 

Department of Special Education

College of Education

University of South Florida

4202 E. Fowler Ave. EDU 162

Tampa, FL 33620

This product was developed by the USF Regional Personnel Development Partnership, through the University of South Florida, a special project funded by the State of Florida, Department of Education, Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services, through federal assistance under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part B.