This grant application will open again on January 1st, 2019 with a deadline for scholarship decisions of April 1st, 2019.  You may still apply to the Special Education Low Incidence program at https://specialedu.ku.edu

Thank you for your interest in applying to the KU-SOARS grant focusing on preparing inclusive educators in grades K-12 for students with low-incidence (severe) disabilities.  The following information details how you will apply for this federally funded fellowship. Please note, application to the KU-SOARS grant is for funding only, if you have not been previously admitted to KU, you will also need to apply to the KU Department of Special Education.  The application deadline is April 1st, 2019.

To be eligible for the KU-SOARS Fellowship, you must:

  1.   Be a US citizen;
  2.   Meet or have met (if already admitted) the requirements for the KU Department of Special Education admissions
  3.   Agree to the requirements in the US DOE Service Obligation Requirements 
  4.   Agree to attend a summer conference at the University of Kansas and the National TASH Conference in Dec. 2019 

Please read the instructions below carefully before filling out the application and have all of the required documents ready to upload. Documents uploaded must be in word or PDF format. Once you start the process, you cannot save the application to complete at a later time. Your data will not be saved until you complete and submit the entire form.

Admission to the program and funding for scholars is a highly competitive process.  For full consideration of your application, you will be required to upload the following:

1. A cover letter detailing:

     a) Your career objectives focused on professional goals for improving access to inclusive education for students with severe disabilities

     b) A description of your current and previous training and/or teaching licenses (general and special education)

     c) A description of your current and previous experiences teaching and working with individuals who have severe disabilities and their families, including your work in either rural or urban culturally diverse school settings

     d) The reason for your interest in KU-SOARS, including your personal philosophy on inclusive education and the impact of inclusive experiences on quality of life and other outcomes for individuals with severe disabilities

2. A short reflective paper: Watch two, short 2-minutes videos from SWIFT schools: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-xWAXKiCcY and http://guide.swiftschools.org/multi-tiered-system-of-support/inclusive-academic-instruction. Write a 1-page reflection responding to the following questions as a guide:

     a) How do you define inclusive education?

     b) Why is inclusive education important for students with and without disabilities?

     c) Share two of the most noteworthy moments from the videos.

     d) How can school personnel collaborate to support and include all students?

3. Copies of transcripts conferring a bachelor's degree and GPA. Unofficial copies are acceptable IF you have not yet applied and/or been admitted to the KU Low Incidence Program

4. A copy of your teaching license(s)

5. A professional resume including the name of your school and relevant positions.  Please do not use acronyms in your resume without definition.   

6. A list of three (3) professional references from your school, school district, university faculty, or others who can attest to your work with individuals with severe disabilities (you do not need to upload letters of reference at this time).

7. Letter from your District/Building administrator (IF you are a practicing teacher) indicating their willingness to support your efforts to expand and improve inclusive experiences for students with low incidence disabilities at your school/program.  See sample letter here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ilZ7r08uncUlsJdnUgCoRAngW3nbUMYLHZ9PuGEv2CQ/edit?usp=sharing

8. Please refer to the rubric while you are preparing your application

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1tYJhyenZUhPuA4SUWCtv6kwyTY7SfmHI5P3dYnSejzo/edit?usp=sharing