Coppin State University Receives $1.185 Million Federal Award to Prepare Special Education Teachers
Project THRIVE will provide financial support and classroom experience for 20 future teachers in partnership with Anne Arundel County Public Schools
BALTIMORE — Coppin State University has received a five-year award from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs, with approximately $1.185 million in projected funding to prepare 20 special education teachers. The university will work with Anne Arundel County Public Schools to give future educators school-based experience as they complete undergraduate or graduate study.
The initiative, Project THRIVE, will support 10 students pursuing Coppin’s bachelor’s degree in special education and 10 pursuing a Master of Arts in Teaching in special education with initial certification, across two cohorts. Scholars will receive support for tuition and fees, books, supplies, technology and licensure exams, along with advising, tutoring, mentoring and professional development. Stipends and individualized assistance may help with expenses such as transportation and childcare.
“At Coppin State University, we believe every child deserves access to an exceptional education, and that begins with preparing exceptional teachers,” said Anthony L. Jenkins, Ph.D., president of Coppin State University. “Project THRIVE reflects our commitment to addressing critical workforce needs while creating opportunities for aspiring educators to pursue their calling without the burden of financial barriers. Through this investment and our partnership with Anne Arundel County Public Schools, we are strengthening the teacher pipeline and helping ensure students with disabilities have the skilled, compassionate educators they deserve.”
“Preparing future teachers across urban, suburban, and rural contexts gives them a broader understanding of the communities they may serve and better prepares them to improve outcomes for students with disabilities and their families,” said Nicole Anthony, Project THRIVE’s director and principal investigator.
Anne Arundel County Public Schools will help recruit prospective scholars and provide opportunities for clinical experience and school-based mentoring. Through coursework and time in schools, participants will build the knowledge and practical skills needed to teach students with disabilities.
Project THRIVE is the third major federal personnel preparation grant connected to Coppin’s special education program in four years. Project POSE includes a partnership with Baltimore City Public Schools, and Project SEQUEL includes Harford County Public Schools. Together, the three projects extend Coppin’s teacher preparation work across urban, suburban and rural communities.
“With Project THRIVE, Coppin State University’s special education program has secured three major federal personnel preparation grants in four years, representing more than $3.4 million in federal investment in the preparation of future special educators,” Anthony said.
Anthony and Loretta N. Baryeh, Ph.D., the project’s co-principal investigator, will lead recruitment and selection, mentoring, summer institutes, professional development and evaluation. The project’s full name is Transforming and Honing Resilient, Innovative, Visionary Exceptional Educators.
The grant period began October 1, 2026, and runs through September 30, 2031. The first cohort is expected to begin in fall 2027. Prospective participants will complete Coppin’s applicable undergraduate or graduate admissions process and a separate Project THRIVE selection process. Recruitment dates and application details will be announced during the project’s planning year.
Project THRIVE is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, under Award No. H325K260098.
Prospective students interested in the program should contact Nicole Anthony, Ph.D., at 410-951-6448 or nianthony@coppin.edu.
