The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Special Education Programs recently awarded funding for several different grants to the College of Education here at the University, according to the Illinois News Bureau. This extra funding will now allow the special education department to train an additional 24 doctoral students over the next five years.

This expanse of the program will address a nationwide shortage of researchers and faculty members in the special education field. Currently, the University department awards only four or five doctoral degrees annually.

Recruitment for the fall 2020 semester is underway. These programs will cover some fees, tuition and even a modest stipend for living expenses, enabling the students to earn these advanced degrees without gaining significant debts.

“These grants enable us to recruit some of the most promising doctoral students across the U.S.,” said Ostrosky, the department head and also the Grayce Wicall Gauthier Professor of Education, according to the News Bureau. “The faculty members involved are leaders in their field, giving students the opportunity to study and work with some of the most well-respected and internationally known special education scholars in the nation.”

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