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The Technical Assistance and Training System (TATS) is a statewide project which
supports programs serving prekindergarten children with disabilities by providing
training and technical assistance (TA).
The primary recipients of services are the
coordinators for programs serving prekindergarten children with disabilities in each of
Florida's 67 school districts.
The project, funded by the Florida Department of
Education, Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services, is based at the
University of Central Florida, with field staff working to carry out the TATS mission
throughout the state. Facilitators based at each of the nine Professional Development
Partnerships (PDP) provide direct services to the districts within their region.
A
transition consultant provides statewide TA and training on the transition process as
part of Florida’s Transition Project, a project within TATS.
One of the technical assistance activities is to create a community of practice for each
of the identified priority areas.
The TATS communities of practice are:
Program
Effectiveness/Program Quality
Inclusion
Evaluation
and
Assessment
Curriculum and Instruction
Transition
Family
Involvement
The purpose of each community of practice is to
•
share expertise, issues, and solutions
•
exchange
knowledge
•
develop individual capabilities
•
present opportunities for participants to network and learn from each other
•
link together parties with a common goal or focus
•
generate new ideas.
The communities are comprised of key stakeholders within the system of services for
prekindergarten children with disabilities, including both professionals and families.
Membership in a community of practice is not limited to experts in that particular topic,
but rather it is a learning community of individuals with shared interest from various
areas of expertise and perspectives. Participation is voluntary and the communities are
open to all interested individuals who shar
e common concerns and are invested in
seeking change and improving implementation of the community focus.
University of Central Florida
•
Teaching Academy, Suite 403
•
Orlando, FL 32816-1250
Email: tats-ucf@mail.ucf.edu
•
Phone: 407-823-3548
•
Fax: 407-823-1360
www.tats.ucf.edu
Technical Assistance and Training System (TATS) - Continued
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Some activities of communities of practice will include
•
phone or email conferences
•
websites with information and chat boards
•
listservs
•
meetings/conferences/institutes
•
discussion
forums.
Each community is represented on our webpage where you can access resources,
discussions, state and national experts, meeting summaries and notices of upcoming
meetings.
If you are interested in joining one or more of the TATS Communities of Practice, click
on the following link to make your selection: www.tats.ucf.edu/registration/copjoin.html.
TATS will send out broadcast emails announcing the addition of new information to the
web (resources, discussions, chats) or events (teleconference, meeting).
We encourage you to share this announcement with local and regional staff and families
throughout your network.
