Purpose: This initiative is intended to support
individual Task Force faculty members in conducting original
research or completing a comprehensive synthesis of research that
enhances our understanding of policy and/or practice
directly
associated with the Task Force on Quality Inclusive Schooling and
its two-fold purposes: 1) to develop and to sustain high quality
inclusive teacher preparation programs; 2) to engage in and to
support the professional development efforts of selected high needs
schools and districts in the seven regions of New York State.

For example, research or synthesis projects may be focused on one
or more of the following topics: teacher preparation effects;
teacher retention; mentoring; disproportionality; family engagement;
pre-intervention strategies; strategies for inclusive teaching;
college-school partnership building; collaboration in teaching;
community engagement; professional development effects; strategies
in bilingual education; urban teaching; rural teaching; English
language learning; strategies for including learners with severe or
multiple disabilities; and alternate assessment. Other topics may
well be suggested.

Form of the proposal: A proposal should be developed as either a proposal for original research or as a proposal for completing a synthesis of research on the selected topic.

• A proposal for conducting original research should be prepared following standard research proposal structures: background; focused literature review; rationale and research questions;
  design of the study (including subjects, data collection methods,
  procedures, instruments, intended data analysis); significance and limitations. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods
  are acceptable. The researcher must provide evidence of review and
  approval by her/his Institutional Review Board for Human Subjects
  before the study can be funded.
  
• A proposal for completing a comprehensive synthesis of research should be prepared including the following elements: a description of the scope and limits of the topic for which research will be identified; a rationale for the importance of
  this synthesis; the identification of prior syntheses upon which this effort will build; potential strategies for identifying and selecting research studies to be included in the synthesis; estimates of the range of the number of studies likely to be
  included in the final synthesis.

Both types of proposals should include a timetable for undertaking and completing the proposed research or synthesis, including a description of how undertaking this work will fit with the faculty member's institutional role and assignments
during that period of time. The Faculty Fellowship awards can support the work of one, or two or more faculty members working in
collaboration. Include curriculum vitae for all faculty participants.

Expected outcomes: Faculty Fellowship awards
must result in at least two products: a presentation to the Task
Force on the effort and its substantive outcomes, and a written
report to the HESC on the effort and its substantive outcomes. Other
products are also encouraged: presentations before national, state,
and regional organizations and groups; articles, book chapters,
electronic forums, and other media; and so on. (Any such products
should acknowledge the support of the Faculty Fellowship award, the
HESC, and VESID.)

The awards: Faculty Fellowship awards will be
made up to $8,000. The award itself will be given to a designated
institution of higher education for disbursement. Up to 8% of the
direct cost may be used to cover indirect costs incurred by the
institution. A reasonable, well-thought budget should accompany the
proposal. Funds may be used for a salary offset and/or for stipends,
for administrative and secretarial costs, for data gathering and
analysis costs, and for costs associated with production of reports
and presentations of the results.

Twenty-five percent (25%) of the awarded funds will forwarded to
the designated institution when the proposal is approved. After
approval and during the work, award recipients will be expected to
meet with the HESC staff at least once to discuss the progress of the effort; 50% will forwarded upon the completed meeting with HESC staff. The remaining 25% will be forwarded upon the presentation to Task Force and the submission of the products of the effort.

Time frame: Ideally, supported projects would
begin and end within an annual time frame. However, given the
exigencies of a particular research design, or the responsibilities
of a faculty member, it may be necessary for a project to begin
during this year and be extended, pending continued support for the
HESC, into the following year. Proposals should be written as
necessary to achieve the best research designs and manageable
timetables; proposals that span two fiscal years will be negotiated.

Proposals for Faculty Fellowships should be submitted as
soon as they are developed and will be reviewed in a timely
fashion.