Included in the grant, from the U.S. Department of Education, is a master's program that will allow students to pursue a specialty in teaching students with emotional disabilities. The degree will be offered through the Department of Educational Psychology's program in special education in the College of Education and will be geared toward compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

The grant will prepare teachers to meet these new requirements by teaching pre-service teachers research-based practices in both behavioral and academic assessment and programming. About two-thirds of the money from the grant will go toward student stipends and tuition.

"If teachers can reduce students' problem behavior using positive behavior programming and increasing academic achievement, they can improve the quality of life for their students," Yell said.

Partners in the grant will include USC, the state Department of Education's Office of Exceptional Children, and local public schools, especially those schools with high poverty rates and diverse cultures and languages.

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