Research Activities

grant Work

project climate (2021-2024)

Project CLIMATE is a 3 year research grant funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice. Working alongside Drs. Kristine Jolivette, Nicole Prewitt, Olivia Hester, and Sara Sanders, the project will work on two main goals to help improve the climate for youth and personnel in juvenile justice facilities and residential treatment centers.

Create low-intensity, evidence-based protocols to improve school/facility climate and to preventatively address youth problem behaviors during educational programming in centers and facilities.
Assess the effects of the low-intensity, evidence-based protocols on school/facility climate and youth behavioral outcomes during educational programming as well as the feasibility of our professional learning communities in centers and facilities.

Project intensity (2020-2025)

Project Intensity is a 5 year research grant funded by the Institute of Education Sciences. Working alongside Drs. Jill Allor, Stephanie Al Otaiba, Greg Benner, Keith Smolkowski, Jason Patron, and Miriam Ortiz, the project is examining the initial efficacy of Friends on the Block (FOTB), an intensive, text-based early literacy intervention for elementary students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The project entails a randomized control trial in schools in Alabama and Texas to evaluate FOTB. The program FOTB is designed to enhance the reading and language outcomes of participating students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Project riipl (2020-2025)

Project RIIPL is a 5 year training grant funded by the Office of Special Education Programs in the U.S. Department of Education. Working alongside Drs. Sara McDaniel, Daniel Cohen, and Laci Watkins, the project provides graduate training for students earning their EdS in School Psychology or EdS in Special Education with a focus on developing future practitioner-leaders to work in rural school settings.

Project RIIPL website