Dr. Phil Strain and PELE staff finalized two initiatives last week to begin the fiscal year. A $410,000 grant from the US Office of Early Learning will permit PELE staff and faculty from the University of South Florida to establish and evaluate two model early childhood programs that are focused on eliminating racial disparities in the use of discipline practices. Joining this effort will be recent doctoral graduate, Dr Rosemarie Allen from Metro State. On a second front, $230,000 in contracts were finalized with school districts in Oregon and Iowa to establish LEAP classroom model programs for children with autism and typical peers.
