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Examine the high-priority legal issues in today’s current K-12 HR environment. Working from a basis of laws and regulations governing the employment relationship, students and faculty examine how federal and state legislation, court and administrative decisions, and regulatory processes are changing interviewing, hiring, promotion, performance assessment, termination, diversity, privacy, safety, and health, and union-management relations practices in the workplace. Emphasis is placed on analyzing the impact of changes in law and regulations and determining both operational and strategic impacts of those changes on organizational practices.

Explores labor relations in the K-12 public sector. The course will focus on the legal requirements in Pennsylvania, the process of collective bargaining, the scope of collective bargaining, types of collective bargaining, administration of the collective bargaining agreement, and the impact of collective bargaining on the school environment. The course topics will include the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Act, the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board, fact-finding, proposal preparation, provision application, data analytics, unfair labor practices, grievances, and arbitrations. In addition, the course will examine the political, social, economic, and organizational impact of collective bargaining on the public-school setting.

An overview of strategies for recruitment and retention in the K-12 public school sector. Various methods for acquiring the critical skills needed to produce products and services are examined in this course. In addition to the traditional staffing topics of recruiting, selecting, and retaining employees, outsourcing and importing human resources to meet organizations’ strategic skill and knowledge needs will be examined. Other topics may include equal employment opportunity, human resource planning, determination of staffing needs, internal and external recruitment strategies, selection interviews, tests and assessment procedures, placement, promotion, transfer policies, and retention strategies.

An overview of business strategy and emphasizes the role of public school human resource management for effective strategy implementation. Models of organizational diagnosis and change, reengineering, divesting, merging, acquiring, downsizing, and outsourcing are examined from a strategic and operational human resource perspective. Students will complete a service-learning assignment with a not-for-profit organization or small business to apply the knowledge and skills learned in this course. 

A thorough analysis of characteristics and etiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) embedded in neurodiversity, socio-ecological and socio-cultural theories. Current research and readings will guide discussions around diagnosis, intervention, and programming as it relates to current trends, collaborative practices, and special education services for individuals with ASD and their families, general education professionals, and the community. Emphasis will be placed on the role of the teacher in relationship to all topics discussed.

Cover topics related to collaboration with families of children/students with ASD within a socio-ecological and socio-cultural lens. Candidates will identify and engage with agencies that support students with ASD and their families and learn ways to communicate and advocate for students with ASD within communities. Students will design instructional programs with detailed and intentional attentiveness to legal mandates and family considerations in a field setting where candidates will teach students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Discussion periods are provided for the classification of techniques, methods, and approaches.

Examine methods of assessment and implementing instructional strategies for children/young adults with ASD and how to use data-driven analysis to plan curriculum and instruction in inclusive settings. Current research and readings will guide discussions around assessment domains, multi-tier interventions, adaptations/accommodations, functional behavior analysis, and planning as it relates to current trends, collaborative practices, and special education services for individuals with autism and their families. Specific methods of assessment for implementing instructional strategies that have been shown to be effective in promoting the development of communication and social skills by students with ASD. Augmentative and alternative communications systems (AAC) and approaches for teaching social skills in home, school, and community environments along with coordination of services and advocating for students with ASD will be thoroughly and deeply discussed.

A thorough analysis of instructional interventions for children/young adults in terms of strengths, limitations, and empirical-based evidence for children and young adults with ASD. Applied behavior analysis (ABA) will be explored in-depth and how it can serve some individuals with autism, with special attention given to classroom settings. Students will assess and structure the environmental supports to enable students with ASD to participate and progress in all environments and evaluate and proactively apply methods to reduce student motivation to engage in problem behavior, assess its effectiveness, and learn to teach functional equivalent positive behaviors. 

This course will cover a thorough understanding of the social, emotional, behavioral wellness for children and young adults embedded in socio-ecological and socio-cultural theories. Current research and readings will guide discussions around social emotional learning (SEL) and how it relates to resilience, including relationships between SEL and developmental outcomes, and the relevance of prevention science in education. The multi-tiered system and positive-behavior approach will be discussed as it pertains to implementation of evidenced-based SEL programs and educational practices for particular groups of students. Further, understanding of typical child, adolescent, and young adult development will be embedded in all topics. Emphasis will be placed on the role of the teacher in relation to all topics discussed. Four hours of field work are required to complete the required assignments for this class, clearances required. 

Cover topics related to collaboration with families of children/students with ASD within a socio-ecological and socio-cultural lens. Candidates will identify and engage with agencies that support students with ASD and their families and learn ways to communicate and advocate for students with ASD within communities. Students will design instructional programs with detailed and intentional attentiveness to legal mandates and family considerations in a field setting where candidates will teach students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Discussion periods are provided for the classification of techniques, methods, and approaches.

This course is necessary as trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) represent a significant threat to public health. CDC recommends the dissemination and implementation of trauma informed approaches to prevent and treat trauma. This course will cover a thorough understanding of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), trauma, and mental illness, including how such experiences and conditions can impact growth, development, and learning of young children and adolescents. Thorough discussions of research and theory of ACEs and the relevance as an educator of understanding ACEs, Trauma, and Mental Illness, and the role of schools in reducing risk factors and increasing protective factors will be discussed and applied to case studies and field work. Current research and readings will further guide discussions around the cultural implications associated with ACEs, Trauma, and Mental Illness. Emphasis will be placed on the role of the teacher in relation to all topics discussed. Four hours of field work is required to complete required assignments for this class.

This course will address the most common types of Mental Illness that PreK-12 students may experience, including internalizing and externalizing conditions.  Students will be able to explain the processes and general relationship between diagnosis via the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual V (DSM-V) and the classification system under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and identify and describe the roles of other relevant child-serving systems within communities that can be supportive to addressing matters associated with social, emotional, and behavioral wellness of PK-12 students (e.g., children’s mental health and juvenile justice). Thorough discussions of research and theory and the relevance as an educator of understanding of Trauma and Mental Illness, and the requirements for schools (e.g., Student Assistance Program and Act 71) to support a youth who appears in emotional distress will be applied to case studies and field work. Emphasis will be placed on the role of the teacher in relation to all topics discussed. Four hours of field work required to complete assignments for the course.

This course will thoroughly discuss the features of a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework to support social, emotional, and behavioral wellness, including evidenced based research on prevention and intervention strategies associated with the MTSS framework. Culturally responsive practices that address students’ developmental social and emotional learning needs will be highlighted within a socio-ecological and socio-cultural perspective. Through discussions of research and theory, students will gain an understanding of the planning and implementing approaches to de-escalate non- crisis and crisis situations in the instance when the safety of students or others may be in jeopardy that reflect trauma-informed principles and be able to demonstrate an understanding of how to use academic and behavioral progress monitoring data (e.g., individual, classroom, school-wide) to support educational practices. Problem-based and case study analysis, and field work at trauma informed schools will inform student learning and applications. Emphasis will be placed on the role of the teacher in relation to all topics discussed. Four hours of field work  required to complete assignments for course.