University of Maine UCEDD and College of Education and Human Development Welcome Early Childhood Opportunities Scholars

May 31, 2012

The University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies (Maine UCEDD) and the College of Education and Human Development are collaborating on a four-year project, Early Childhood Opportunities (EChO) Scholars, to support the preparation of highly qualified early intervention professionals serving children with disabilities in Maine. The project is funded through the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, and represents Maine's only graduate study designed with an emphasis on young children ages birth-5 with disabilities and their families, including children who live in poverty, are homeless, are in foster care, are English language learners, or who reside in rural, remote, and sparsely populated areas with limited access to resources.

In May 2012, fifteen new students were selected through a competitive process to form the second cohort of Early Childhood Opportunities Scholars, bringing the project's total number of Scholars to thirty-six. In exchange for a commitment to serve young children with disabilities and their families, EChO Scholars receive financial support for full-time graduate study. At the conclusion of the project period, EChO Scholars will have completed requirements for both the Master of Special Education with Specialization in Early Intervention degree and state certification in early childhood special education (birth-five).

For more information about the Early Childhood Opportunities (EChO) Scholars project, please contact Deborah L. Rooks-Ellis, PhD, Co-Principal Investigator and Project Coordinator, or visit the EChO Scholars website.