Inservice Center OverviewHISTORY
The University of Alabama Inservice Education Center, established by the Alabama legislature in 1984-85, is one of eleven state regional centers whose purpose is to provide professional development to the K-12 educators in designated public school districts in its geographic region. The University of West Alabama (in Livingston) was named as a cooperating partner. The Center has been funded yearly since 1984-85. SERVICE AREA The University of Alabama/University of West Alabama Inservice Center serves the teachers, administrators, counselors, and librarians of twelve (12) school districts and one (1) charter school within nine (9) area counties: Choctaw County, Demopolis City, Fayette County, Greene County, Hale County, Lamar County, Linden City, Marengo County, Pickens County, Sumter County, Tuscaloosa City, Tuscaloosa County, and University Charter School. The map of the region along with links to the school system sites can be found here. DESIGNATED CRITICAL NEEDS AREAS By mandate of the Alabama State Board of Education, the following areas have been designated as critical needs areas and, thereby, constitute the areas in which the Center may provide professional development: language arts; math; science; social studies; technology; special education; health; library/media; economics, administration; and, guidance/counseling. CENTER PROGRAMS/PROJECTS In addition to offering professional development programs and activities for the 120+ schools in its region, The University of Alabama/University of West Alabama Inservice Center administers several major projects, including Alabama Science in Motion, Technology in Motion, and the Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative. In addition, the center partners with the state's Alabama Reading Initiative to offer literacy professional learning within the region. The Center offers programs that adhere to the national and state standards for professional development—research-based, job-embedded, on-going, and/or school based. Moreover, the need for a requested program must be supported by data. Examples of such programs include job-embedded professional learning and professional learning groups. GOVERNANCE Each regional inservice center is governed by a sixteen-member Governing Board comprised of the following: 8 teachers; 4 administrators; 2 higher education representatives; 1 local board of education member; and 1 state department of education professional staff member. Governing Board members from K-12 public schools are nominated by the superintendents of participating LEAs or by the professional educators’ association of participating LEAs. The Governing Board receives nominations and approves the representatives. The Board meets in September, January, and April. FINANCE Each regional inservice center receives a yearly allocation from the Alabama legislature. This funding is channeled through the Alabama State Department of Education to the regional inservice centers in the form of a Memorandum of Agreement. The University of Alabama/University of West Alabama Inservice Education Center is an optimal vehicle for delivery of a variety of professional development programs to targeted educators in its region. It is, consequently, often awarded grants to carry out training for regional teachers and administrators. Since 1995, the Center has been awarded more than $20,000,000 in grants. |
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