Under the direction of the Illinois State Board of Education, this Special Populations Project began in 1977. Originally housed in the Home Economics Department at Illinois State University, the grant moved to Special Education in 1985 where it remained until 2001, when it took residence with the Educational Administration and Foundations Department, the grant’s current home. The Special Populations Project started under the leadership of Dr. Catherine Batche, Project Director and Toni McCarty, Research Associate. When Dr. Batche moved on to become a university vice-president in 1995, Toni McCarty succeeded her as project director. In 1998, Donella Hess-Grabill became the new director of what came to be known as The Illinois Center for Specialized Professional Support. In 2002, the project formalized an affiliation with the Illinois Community College Board and Lynn Reha and Stefanie Lee Berardi were hired on as Research Associates. Upon Hess Grabill’s retirement from the University and Lynn Reha and Stefanie Lee Berardi progressed into co-director positions. With the addition of Research Coordinators Aime’e LaFollette Julian and Lisa Matejka in 2005, the project became what you see today.
