Jennifer Freeman

Associate Professor

Educational Psychology

---

Academic Degrees:

Ph.D. University of Connecticut
M.A. Grand Valley State University
B.A. Calvin College

Areas of Expertise:

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

Classroom and Behavior Management

Biography:

Dr. Jennifer Freeman is an associate professor in the Department of Educational Psychology and is a partner with the National Center on Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) and a research scientist for the Center for Behavioral Education Research (CBER) at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Freeman studies the effects of multi-tiered systems of support such as Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) on outcomes at the high school level for high-risk student groups including students with disabilities. She is particularly interested in improving graduation rates across and within student groups. She also studies professional development methods for improving teacher’s use of evidence based classroom management strategies. She currently teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in the special education program. Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Connecticut, she had 10 years of special education teaching experience across grades K-8 in both urban and rural school settings and had served as a K-12 district level consultant working to implement PBIS and Response to Intervention (RtI) strategies.

Research Gate 

Selected Publications:

Lombardi, A. R., Freeman, J., & Rifenbark, G. G. (in press). Modeling college and career readiness for adolescents with and without disabilities: A bifactor approach. Exceptional Children

Simonsen, B., Freeman, J., Swain-Bradway, J., George, H., Putnam, B., Lane, K., Sprague, J., Hershfeldt, P. (accepted). Using data to support teachers’ implementation of empirically-supported classroom practices. Education and Treatment of Children.

Freeman, J., Kowitt, J., Simonsen, B., Wei, Y., Dooley, K., Maddock E., Gordon, L., Kern, L (accepted). The use of self-management to improve classroom management in high school. Remedial and Special Education.

Wei, Y., Lombardi, A., Simonsen, B., Coyne, M., Faggella-Luby, M., Freeman, J., & Kearns, D. (2017). A Revised Embedded Planning Tool for Intensive Reading Instruction. Learning Disabilities: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 22(2), 50-62.

Myers, D., Sugai, G., Simonsen, B., Freeman, J. (2017). Assessing teachers’ behavior support skills. Teacher Education and Special Education, 1-12. DOI: 10.1177/0888406417700964

Myers, D., Freeman, J., Sugai, G., Simonsen, B. (2017). Classroom management with exceptional learners: If you do nothing else, do this. TEACHING Exceptional Children.

Simonsen, B., Freeman, J., Dooley, K., Maddock, E., Kern, L., Myers, D., (2017). Effects of targeted professional development on teachers’ specific praise Rates. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports 19, 37-47. doi: 10.1177/1098300716637192

Freeman, J., Sugai, G., Simonsen, B., & Everett, S. (2016). Multi-tieredsupport systems coaching: Bridging knowing to doing. Theory into Practice.

Makel, M., Plucker, J., Freeman, J., Lombardi, A., Simonsen, B., Coyne, M., (2016) Replication of special education research: Necessary but far too rare. Remedial and Special Education, 37, 205-212. doi: 10.1177/0741932516646083

Freeman, J., Simonsen, B., McCoach, D.B., Sugai, G., Lombardi, A., Horner, R. (2016). Relationship between school-wide positive behavior interventions and supports and academic, attendance, and behavior outcomes in high schools. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 18, 41-51 doi: 10.1177/1098300715580992

Freeman, J., Simonsen, B., McCoach, D.B., Sugai, G., Lombardi, A., Horner, R. (2015). An analysis of the relationship between implementation of School-wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports and high school dropout rates. The High School Journal , 98, 290-315. doi: 10.1353/hsj.2015.0009

Freeman, J., & Simonsen, B. (2014). Examining the impact of policy and practice interventions on high school dropout and school completion rates: A systematic review of the literature. Review of Educational Research. online first.  10.3102/0034654314554431

Freeman, J., Simonsen, B., Briere, D. E., & MacSuga-Gage, A. S. (2014). Pre-service teacher training in classroom management: A review of state accreditation policy and teacher preparation programs. Teacher Education and Special Education, 37, 106-120. doi. 10.1177/0888406413507002

Simonsen, B. S., Sugai, G., Freeman, J., Kern, L., & Hampton, J. (2014). Ethical and professional guidelines for crisis procedures. Education and Treatment of Children.

Freeman, J., & Sugai, G., (2013). Recent changes in state policies and legislation regarding restraint or seclusion. Exceptional Children, 79, 427-438

Freeman, J., & Sugai, G. (2013). Identifying evidence based practices using single subject research. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 45, 6-12.

Simonsen, B., MacSuga-Gage, A. S., Briere, D. E., Freeman, J., Myers, D., Scott,T., & Sugai, G. (2014). Multi-tiered support framework for teachers’ classroom management practices: Overview and case study of building the triangle for teachers. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions.16 (3) 179-190. doi. 10.1177/1098300713484062

Gage, N., Freeman, J., Horner, R. H., Sugai, G., Lewis, T. J., & Strickland-Cohen,K. (2014). State funding of positive behavior support initiatives: Strategies and recommendations for efficiency and effectiveness. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 25 (3) 164-174. doi. 10.1177/1044207313488943