Mission of the Project

CREATE’s mission is to grow a highly qualified and effective special education teacher force in South Carolina. Through a collaborative partnership with local school districts and 12 leading colleges and universities in South Carolina, all with NCATE/State-approved teacher preparation programs, the project assists qualified individuals in obtaining add-on, alternative, or initial certification in special education by underwriting course tuition and textbooks costs. CREATE is funded largely by the South Carolina Department of Education’s Office of Exceptional Children, Michelle Bishop, Interim Director, with supplemental funding provided by the Division of Educator Quality and Leadership.

News for 2011-2012

• CREATE begins Year 9 operation with the 2011-2012 school year.
• Furman University and Southern Wesleyan University join the CREATE consortium.
• Public/charter school employees holding full-time instructional and non-instructional positions are eligible for CREATE.
• CREATE-sponsored certifications include Emotional Disabilities (ED), Hearing Impairments (HI), Learning Disabilities (LD), Mental Disabilities (MD), Multi-categorical SpEd (MC), Severe Disabilities (SEV), and Visual Impairments (VI).
• Behavior Analysts seeking the BCBA national credential through USC Columbia qualify for CREATE assistance.

Success: 2003-2011

• Course scholarships awarded: 2,381
• Participants enrolled: 926
• Program Completers: 617
• School districts represented: 80 (of 85)