RITASEE Grant

Improving the quality of life in the region and beyond is central to East Tennessee State University’s mission, and an endeavor that faculty and staff at Clemmer College are meeting with enthusiasm.

In 2022, faculty with Clemmer College secured $1.25 million in grant funding to support a project called the Rural Initiative for Training Administrators with Special Education Expertise, also known as RITASEE. Built upon evidencebased practices, the project aims to enhance service for children, teens, and young adults in rural school settings by strengthening current leadership practices in the classroom by taking part in the nurturing and development of the next generation of educators.

The result of the collaborative work between the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis and the Department of Educational Foundations and Special Education, RITASEE will guide educators to develop school improvement systems that better serve diverse learners while advocating for inclusive practices that are beneficial to all students. The change in policy is not surface level, but rather, it extends to the very foundations of education. That is because the $1.25 million award will enable Clemmer College to provide scholarships through a competitive application process that will not only equip a minimum of 18 students with a special, enriched curriculum, but allow them the opportunity to obtain an Ed.D. without debt.

“This is an exciting season for our region, schools, and future Scholars,” said RITASEE Project Director Dr. Ginger Christian. “This grant will provide tuition, books, national seminars, and focused leadership internships to enhance training experiences and services for all students in rural school settings.”

Known as “Scholars,” students accepted into RITASEE will be enrolled in a P-12 Educational Leadership doctoral program that will not only enable them to develop cutting-edge teaching and leadership practices using proven methods, but also will allow them to experience and grow in an organic setting among area school districts and the community. “This is the first of many collaborations across our two departments,” said RITASEE Co-Director Dr. Dawn Rowe. “We’re really leveraging our expertise to support people in the field and in the region to enable the development of leadership skills necessary to serve diverse learners.”

Scholars will have the opportunity to decide between two programs within the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis – School Leadership or Administrative Endorsement.

“I am thrilled to see our aspiring school leaders build a deep knowledge of the regulations and laws that affect diverse learners so that they can best meet the needs of their students,” said Dr. Virginia Foley, program coordinator for Administrative Endorsement. “I also look forward to the research they will engage in, and the long-term impact that work will have on the Appalachian Highlands.”

Briar Worley is a Marketing and Communications Specialist in ETSU’s Office of University Marketing and Communications.