The Florida Panhandle Early Childhood Consortium.

Overview & Synopsis

A consortium for the purpose of collaboratively designing and facilitating the implementation of inservice education for teachers of young children and their supporting staff was instituted in the Florida Panhandle. Participating in this group collaboration were three teacher centers, three universities, two individual school districts, and the Florida Department of Education. Impetus for the development of the consortium was provided by four major objectives: (1) recognized need to comprehensively address inservice education; (2) commitment to the principle that collaboration provides the most promising avenue for improvement of teacher education; (3) concern for implementation of inservice education for teachers of young children; and (4) concurrence with the position of the Florida Board of Regents requiring that universities allocate increased resources to inservice education. This document provides a description of the development of the program, stated goals, personnel, budgeting, and an evaluation of results. (JD)