NASDSE's OSEP-funded Personnel Center works to build both national and individual state capacity to recruit, prepare and retain highly qualified, diverse personnel for early intervention and special education programs, including classroom teachers, related service personnel and their assistants and instructional paraprofessionals.

In order to accomplish its goal, the Personnel Center has developed a national recruitment campaign designed to recruit individuals from middle school through mid-career changers to the field of special education-related careers.

Each grant year the Personnel Center will select up to five states for targeted services that include statewide comprehensive planning for recruitment, preparation and retention of special education-related personnel. Addtionally, the Center facilitates personnel data planning meetings and personnel development taskforce meetings that include higher education, local school districts, parent and professional groups and state department of education staff. The Center also provides targeted states with:

• 20 free school district memberships to Teachers-Teachers.com, on Internet recruiting service working with the Center;
• diversity recruitment training sessions for local school districts; and
• $10,000 grants to be used for a statewide media recruitment campaign, using brochures, a recruitment video, five public service announcements for television and the assistance of public relations professionals.