Project leap IT

Minnesota State University Mankato received a $206,650 Project Grant award on October 1, 2025, under the Special Education – Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program (CFDA 84.325) from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. The award, which extends through September 30, 2026, supports the PROJECT LEAP IT initiative, a personnel preparation program designed to train and develop special education professionals to work with children with disabilities. Based on the federal grant program's scope, the project likely focuses on providing research-based training and professional development to prepare special education teachers, related services personnel, or early intervention specialists with the qualified skills and knowledge necessary to serve students with disabilities effectively.

The funding aligns with the Department of Education's statutory requirements to support competitive grants addressing state-identified personnel needs in special education and related services fields. Awards under this program typically support curriculum development, professional development delivery, and the preparation of fully certified personnel to fill critical workforce gaps in special education. The project award falls within the typical grant magnitude range ($200K–$350K) for standard personnel preparation grants under this assistance listing.