The College of Education at the University of South Alabama (USA) has been awarded a five-year grant to train new special education teachers under the Transition to Teaching Program of the Office of Innovation and Improvement of the United States Department of Education. In cooperation with the Mobile County Public School System (MCPSS), Project CRUISE recruits potential teachers who hold a non-education baccalaureate degree. Trainees enter the alternative teacher certification program in special education and begin work as teachers of students with special needs in the local schools.

Project CRUISE provides financial assistance to the trainees and professional support in their new schools and classrooms. Each summer USA and the local schools offer the Collaborative Laboratory Experience during which prospective teachers gain practice under the supervision of public school teachers and project staff before beginning their new career in the fall.

The training program is an integration of university-based coursework and supported field experiences. Each new trainee/teacher is assigned a mentor who is a master teacher at their school. The mentor and university-based project staff will provide support as the trainee transitions to teaching. Recipients of support must agree to serve as a teacher in the MCPSS for three years.