Grants & Initiatives
Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities (BCDD) is part of this $2.3 million grant from U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration. The Autism Consortium of Texas (ACT) Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program trains graduate students, family members, and self-advocates in culturally informed diagnosis, support, and advocacy for children with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities.
Baylor TIP (talent identification program) offers above-grade-level assessments for students in grades 4 and 5 and grades 7 and 8. Its mission is to identify exceptional talent in STEM and the humanities and provide world-class learning opportunities commensurate with students’ exceptional potential. Through Baylor TIP, students take an above-level college readiness test and receive detailed feedback. Admitted students are eligible for enriched learning opportunities.
The Caregiver Coaching project is a telehealth program helping Texas parents and caregivers of children with autism gain access to research-based parent training through interaction with trained therapists at Baylor. It has received funding from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
School of Education faculty partnered with Baylor engineering and physics faculty on a $4.3 million grant, helping provide a 10-week summer “Research Experiences for Undergraduates” (REU), led by the Baylor Point-of-Needs Innovation (PONI) Center. SOE faculty led workshops focused on acquiring communication and presentation skills and exploring talent development.
The "iBears" (Inclusive Biology Exploring Active Research) project trains college STEM students to mentor middle schoolers as they design, execute and present a course-based science project. Dr. Tracey Sulak, clinical associate professor in the Department of Educational Psychology, received a highly competitive grant award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for $99,999.
Innovating and Designing Engaging Applications in Sports Promoting Outreach, Responsibility, and Teamwork (IDEA-SPORT): Promoting Leadership for Women Through Sports is a U.S. State Department grant that took Baylor educators to Lahore, Pakistan to empower Pakistani women through leadership workshops and sports engagement.
Fifth- through ninth-graders learn about civics and provide a rich resource for Baylor faculty research during the annual Baylor University iEngage Summer Civics Institute. The one-week summer day camp is hosted by Baylor School of Education through a grant from the Hatton W. Sumners Foundation.
MELA is a summer mathematics intervention program for children ages 4-6, helping them develop numerical fluency, readiness, and a strong foundation. Research has shown that early math skills are a strong predictor of academic success. Researchers are also developing a custom curriculum for use in summer school programs. Past funding has come from the Cooper Foundation.
Dr. Julie Ivey, Associate Professor of Educational Psychology, is a co-investigator on a grant evaluating the effectiveness of the MiraColt -- a mechanical horse invented by a Baylor engineering professor -- as language and behavioral intervention for children with autism. The project is funded by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, with almost $600,000 for all aspects of the Baylor project.
Dr. Perry Glanzer, professor of higher education in the Department of Educational Leadership, leads a research team conducting longitudinal studies of students at three religiously affiliated institutions, five centers or institutes for Christian study that promote spiritual formation and community for college students, and the five secular universities where those Christian study centers are. The project is funded by a $2.7 million grant from the John Templeton Foundation.
The Preparing Educators with Autism Knowledge and Skills (PEAKS) program offers Texas teachers specialized professional development in evidence-based practices for students with autism. Participants may attend up to three phases of the online program and be eligible for RBT certification if all are completed. PEAKS has received funding from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Project Promise is a scholarship component of the School of Education’s University for Young People (UYP), a summer day-camp program for fourth-twelfth grade students identified as gifted and talented. Project Promise students are gifted students who also meet U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) federal low-income eligibility requirements. Tuition is funded through a Baylor University community outreach grant, starting in 2018.
Through a grant with the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Baylor Center for School Leadership is leading this three-year project in partnership with William Magee Institute at the University of Mississippi, National Center for School-University Partnerships, and Mississippi educators, working to develop interventions and curriculum to reduce risk factors.