Building Better Behaviors
“Building Better Behaviors: A Multi-tiered System of Support (MTSS) Framework for Support of Students with Disabilities who have High-Intensity Needs” is a grant project funded by the Office of Special Education Programs, US Department of Education. The grant provides scholarships for graduate students in School Psychology and Applied Behavior Analysis interested in providing support to school teams serving students with high intensity emotional and behavioral needs.
Participating graduate students receive specialized training to effectively implement evidence-based and culturally responsive systemic assessment and intervention in school settings. The goal of the training is to address high-intensity emotional and behavioral needs of school-age children.
Students selected for the project are provided with scholarship funding that includes tuition, fees, and a monthly stipend.
Eligibility for the Scholarship
Students applying to or enrolled in graduate degree programs in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and School Psychology at UNO are eligible to apply for the scholarship. Students must be admitted to the respective program to receive the scholarship. We encourage students from various backgrounds including multilingual students, those with disabilities, and racially and ethnically diverse students to apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
| What activities do students participating in the project complete? |
| Students will participate in coursework for their graduate program, intervention workshops, a weekly professional seminar, and interdisciplinary fieldwork experiences in school settings. The fieldwork experiences will align with the requirements for students seeking credentialing as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Students will also receive at least bi-weekly individualized mentoring to support goal attainment and encourage well-being and work-life balance. Altogether, it is anticipated that students will participate in approximately 20 hours of grant activities per week. This is in addition to the coursework and activities of their graduate program. The activities are designed to build competency in the following areas:
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| How long can students receive the scholarship funding? |
| Students in ABA and School Psychology selected for the project can receive two years of funding. This is the typical timeline for students to receive their master’s degree. Students must be full-time students in the respective program. |
| How much scholarship funding do students receive? |
| Students will receive funding for their tuition and fees for required coursework in their program of study. Students from out-of-state who are not eligible for the Omaha Urban Rate (OUR) Tuition, may have to pay some tuition because of higher tuition rates. In addition, students will receive a monthly stipend from mid-August through mid-May (9 months). Funding will also be available for support with conference travel and course materials. |
| Can I enroll part-time or participate remotely? |
| Due to the intensity of the specialized training, preference will be given to students who will complete their master’s degree program within two years. This requires a full-time load of courses. Students must be in-person for most project activities. However, there will be opportunities for remote meetings during the training. |
| Who should I contact for more information? |
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Students interested in applying for this project through the Applied Behavior Analysis Master’s Program contact Dr. Sara Kupzyk skupzyk@unomaha.edu. Students interested in applying for this project through the School Psychology Master’s Program contact Dr. Adam Weaver adamweaver@unomaha.edu. |