Academic Year 2021-22
Learn more about our current active grants.
A-L
College and Career Readiness for Transition (CCR4T): Development and Validation of a Student Measure
Description
This study will provide high school educators in Connecticut, Arkansas, Delaware, Massachusetts, and North Carolina with a validated tool for assessing college and career readiness (CCR) for students with disabilities. More info
Principal Investigators
Allison Lombardi, Hariharan Swaminathan; Jane Rogers; Jennifer Freeman
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$1,398,298 — U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences, Transition Outcomes for Secondary Students with Disabilities
Dates
7/1/2019 to 6/30/2023
Cross-Battery Cognitive-Achievement Relations
Description
Children’s performance across several tests, including multiple cognitive and achievement tests, is often analyzed together to better understand their learning. Research studies of children’s cognitive-achievement relations are often limited to particular tests. Some inconsistencies were found across tests and thus some results may not generalize. Research that incorporates multiple intelligence and achievement tests simultaneously, known as cross-battery analyses, can better address questions about the broader influences of children’s cognitive abilities on their academic achievement. Cross-battery research can extend our understanding of how intelligence and achievement relate not just at the test-level, but at the broader construct level. Whether or not cognitive-achievement relations are reproducible across several test batteries has both theoretical and clinical implications. This study will include 3,930 children aged 6 to 18 collected by Pearson Assessments. The influence of cognitive abilities on children’s reading, writing, and math skills will be compared for consistencies and differences.
Principal Investigator
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$15,000 — Woodcock Institute for the Advancement of Neurocognitive Research and Applied Practice
Dates
11/1/2020 to 12/31/2021
Deaf Students’ Literacy Development in Jamaica: Developing a Knowledge Base and Sustainable Teacher Training Experience
Description
International deaf education is an area that is in deep need of both high-quality research and opportunities to develop teacher practice. Through assessments of key literacy skills of deaf and hard of hearing (d/hh) elementary school students, interviews with and observations of teachers and other professionals working with d/hh students, and collaborative planning and feedback from faculty with the Jamaican Association of the Deaf, the authors will develop and implement a professional development that will support the literacy needs of d/hh students in Jamaica. Additionally, this project has the potential to further our understanding of the current state of deaf education in Jamaica and inform future research within this setting. The grant will support Dostal’s project titled “Deaf Students’ Literacy Development in Jamaica: Developing a Knowledge Base and Sustainable Teacher Training Experience,” which seeks to create and test a sustainable and replicable professional development program for supporting educators of the deaf in Jamaica, including designing and coordinating a literacy camp for Deaf and hard of hearing children. More info
Principal Investigator
Department
Curriculum and Instruction
Funding
$2,000 — International Literacy Association Constance McCullough International Research Grant
Dates
2020-21
Early Childhood Personnel Center
Description
The purpose of the Early Childhood Personnel Center is to facilitate the development, implementation, and evaluation of integrated and comprehensive systems of personnel development (CSPD) for the early childhood workforce serving infants and young children with disabilities eligible for Part C and Part B(619) programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). ECPC generates knowledge, provides technical assistance, and facilitates leadership collaboration. More info
Principal Investigator
George Sugai
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$34,555 — U.S. Department of Education
Dates
1/1/2018 to 12/31/2022
Educating Educators to Help Children With High-Intensity Special Needs
Description
This grant will fund the development of a doctoral leadership program to train 28 future faculty. These trainees will then design and teach courses and programs of study designed to prepare teachers, social workers, and therapists to provide specialized interventions to infants and young children with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. More info
Principal Investigator and Co-Principal Investigator
Mary Beth Bruder and Michael Coyne
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$6,500,000 — U.S. Department of Education
Dates
10/19/2020-
An Efficacy Study of Strategic and Interactive Writing Instruction for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students
Description
The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of the Strategic and Interactive Writing Instruction (SIWI) professional development (PD) program for improving the knowledge and instructional practices of teachers and the writing and language outcomes for students in third through sixth grade who are deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH). More info
Principal Investigator
Department
Curriculum and Instruction
Funding
$335,324 — U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences
Dates
8/1/2017 to 7/31/2021
Evaluating the Impact of Integrated Behavior and Reading Multi-Tiered Systems of Support in Elementary School
Description
The purpose of this study is to evaluate how integrated behavior and reading practices impact outcomes for K-Grade 2 students at 25 schools. Previously conducted research has shown certain reading and behavior practices to be effective for students with learning disabilities or those who are at risk for developing them. This project aims to examine how resources could be employed more efficiently to address the common co-occurrence of reading and behavior difficulties. More info
Principal Investigators
Michael Coyne, Brandi Simonsen, D. Betsy McCoach
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$3,999,589 — U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER)
Dates
7/1/2019 to 6/30/2024
Exploring Relationships Between College and Career Readiness, Self-Determination, and Transition Planning Among Adolescents With and Without Disabilities
Description
The purpose of this project is to establish measurable constructs of college and career readiness (CCR) using extant data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 (NLTS2012). More info
Principal Investigator
Co-Principal Investigators
Graham Rifenbark; Eric Loken; Clewiston Challenger
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$817,548 — U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER)
Dates
7/1/2021 – 6/30/2023
Fostering Computational Thinking Through Neural Engineering Activities in High School Biology Classes
Description
Computational thinking (CT) is a set of processes to identify and solve problems using algorithms or steps, and can be applied not only in computer science but in other disciplines. This project will develop and study a curriculum and app that support CT in a high school biology unit. More info
Principal Investigator
Co-Principal Investigators
Christopher H. Rhoads; Bianca Montrosse-Moorhead; John H. Settlage
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$1,451,850 — National Science Foundation
Dates
9/1/2021 – 8/31/2025
Health Policy Research Scholars Cohort One – 2016
Description
The funding supports a Health Policy Research Scholar. The goal of Health Policy Research Scholars is to create a large cadre of diverse doctoral students from multiple (nonclinical, research-focused) disciplines — students whose research, connections, and leadership will inform and influence policy toward a culture of health. The program aims to recruit doctoral students from a variety of social sciences (e. g., urban planning, health, economics, ethnography, education, social work, etc.) who are trained to be researchers. More info
Principal Investigator
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$120,000 — Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Dates
9/1/2016 to 8/31/2021
Inclusive Environments and Metrics in Biology Education and Research (iEMBER): Novel Networking Fostering Interdisciplinary Communities and New Research Collaborations
Description
This project ultimately seeks to improve the inclusion and retention of students in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, with a focus on broadening inclusion in the area of biology education research. More info
Co-Principal Investigator
Rebecca Campbell-Montalvo
Funding
$499,999 — National Science Foundation
Dates
8/15/2019 to 7/31/2024
Intensive Intervention Course Development
Description
We are developing a sequence of four courses on intensive intervention for in-service special education teachers. The courses involve online components that involve the use of the Lightboard technology to increase the clarity and teacher interest. The courses also have aligned coaching supports that involve the use of technology to make it possible to do observations without constant travel. More info
Principal Investigator
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$402,638 — U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences
Dates
2/1/2017 to 9/30/2021
Interdisciplinary and Integrated Training for Intensive Behavior
Description
The Interdisciplinary and Integrated Training for Intensive Behavior (I-3 PREP) program is a master’s training program, wherein the goal is to increase the number of master’s-trained special educators and school psychologists with the capacity to provide high-quality integrated services for school-age students with developmental disabilities, such as autism, who have high-intensity behavioral needs. The project is a multidisciplinary effort supported by UConn’s Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy (InCHIP), the Neag School, and the UConn School of Medicine. Learn more
Co-Principal Investigators
Lisa Sanetti, Sandra Chafouleas, and Mary Beth Bruder
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$1,000,000 — U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education
Dates
10/2020 to 9/2025
Learning Informs Focused Teaching: Project LIFT
Description
Project LIFT (Learning Informs Focused Teaching) focuses on teacher perceptions of advanced academic potential and the use of instructional practices that may encourage and develop students’ potential. The project engages teachers at grades 1-3 in infusing increased emphasis on questioning, and critical and creative thinking into language arts and mathematics lessons to promote student development of high-potential behaviors. More info
Principal Investigators
Catherine Little, Rebecca Eckert, Christopher Rhoads
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$2,406,770 — U.S. Department of Education
Dates
10/1/2017 to 9/30/2022
From studying student outcomes to creating professional development programs for teachers, faculty engage in a broad range of research projects. Get a glimpse into a selection of Neag School research projects connected to the following areas of interest:
Literacy
STEM
M-O
Multi-Tiered Systems of Support Research Network (MTSS-RN) Leadership Team
Description
The Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) Network is examining MTSS that integrates both academic and behavioral support systems within elementary schools. There are four Research Teams and one Network Lead. Research Teams are conducting a variety of investigations that cover development, evaluation, and/or measurement activities. As the MTSS Network Lead, the UConn research team will provide the organizational structure needed to allow the Network to run smoothly, foster collaborative efforts across the Research Teams, and ensure that the Network achieves its research and leadership goals. More info
Principal Investigators
Michael Coyne, Brandi Simonsen
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$1,499,572 — U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER)
Dates
7/1/2019 to 6/30/2024
National Center for Leadership in Intensive Interventions 2 (NCLII-2) Training Grant
Description
The National Center for Leadership in Intensive Intervention 2 (NCLII-2) Training Grant will fund three doctoral students in special education for four years each. More info
Principal Investigator
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$1,000,000 — Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education
Dates
11/1/2019 to 12/31/2023
National Center on Research for Gifted Education
Description
The National Center on Research for Gifted Education will fund work to examine and strengthen gifted education opportunities for underserved populations through four studies. More info
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$5,000,000 — Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education
Dates
9/1/2020 to 8/31/2025
National Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
Description
The National Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is established by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) to define, develop, implement, and evaluate a multi-tiered approach to TA that improves the capacity of SEAs, LEAs, and schools to establish, scale-up, and sustain the PBIS framework to (a) improve supports and outcomes for students with or at-risk for disabilities (Priority 1) and (b) enhance school climate, school safety (Priority 2), and conditions for learning (Priority 3) to promote the well-being of all students. More info
Principal Investigators
Brandi Simonsen, Jennifer Freeman, and George Sugai
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$31,750,000 — Total award for Center to University of Oregon (prime); $4,424,903 — UConn subcontract with University of Oregon; U.S. Department of Education / Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
Dates
10/15/2018 to 9/30/2023
Network to Advance the Study of Mechanisms Underlying Mind-Body Interventions and Measurement of Emotional Well-Being
Description
This project will illuminate the role of emotional well-being in mind and body interventions as both an outcome itself and as a mechanism in improving mental and physical health outcomes. More info
Co-Principal Investigator
Sandra Chafouleas
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$2,495,298 — National Institutes of Health
Dates
2/21/2021 to 1/31/2025
P-Z
Preparing Scholar Leaders to Study Interventions and Complex Systems (Project LINC)
Description
In partnership with Boston University, this project that will fully fund five doctoral scholars at each institution over the next five years in three key areas: 1) To understand interventions in literacy, social and behavioral skills, and transition; 2) To understand the complex educational systems that support students with disabilities, and 3) To conduct rigorous research related to these foci. More info
Project Organizer
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$2,500,000 — Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education
Dates
10/1/2019 to 9/30/2024
Project Building Up Mathematics Proficiency Utilizing Push-In (Project BUMP UP)
Description
The primary goal of this project is to ensure that talented math students, including students from underserved populations, receive services that allow them to make continuous progress and excel in math by using the pedagogy of advanced instructional practices in general education classrooms. More info
Principal Investigators and Co-Principal Investigators
Del Siegle (PI), and E. Jean Gubbins and D. Betsy McCoach
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$2,800,000 — Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Program, U.S. Department of Education
Dates
10/1/2019 to 9/30/2024
Project NeXus II
Description
Project NeXus fully funds a cadre of Ph.D. level leaders in special education in the areas of (a) Literacy, (b) Positive Behavioral Supports, and/or (c) Secondary Transition. Project NeXus provides doctoral fellows with the opportunities and the support to develop Leadership Competencies organized around priority areas including (a) Research, (b) Personnel Preparation (University Teaching), and (c) Professional Practice (Policy/ Advocacy/ Technical Assistance/ Professional Development). More info
Principal Investigators
Michael Coyne, Brandi Simonsen, Allison Lombardi
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$1,250,000 — U.S. Department of Education
Dates
10/1/2017 to 9/30/2022
Project PRIME2: Planning Realistic Intervention implementation and Maintenance by Educators
Description
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of Planning Realistic Intervention implementation and Maintenance by Educators (PRIME2) for improving elementary school teachers' implementation of function-based behavioral interventions for students with and at risk for disabilities. PRIME2 is a theory-informed, consultation-based, individually tailored, tiered system of implementation support developed with previous IES funding. More info
Principal Investigator
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$3,769,253 — U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER)
Dates
7/1/2021 – 6/30/2026
Project Twice Exceptional With Autism Spectrum Disorder (Project 2e-ASD)
Description
This project focuses on academically talented students with autism who are traditionally underserved in gifted programs. More info
Principal Investigator and Co-Principal Investigator
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$2,600,00 — Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Program, U.S. Department of Education
Dates
10/1/2019 to 9/30/2024
Reimagining Dual Language Education: Promoting Equitable Bilingualism and Biliteracy Outcomes through a Focus on Sociocultural Competence
Description
This research project has four major goals: 1) improve the equitable bilingualism and biliteracy attainment of all dual-language (DL) students through a greater focus on sociocultural competence (SCC); 2) improve the measurement of SCC; 3) foster SCC among DL students; and 4) enhance DL teachers’ professional competence related to SCC-focused language and literacy instruction. More info.
Principal Investigator
Department
Curriculum and Instruction
Funding
$179,151 — U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education, International Research and Studies Grants
Dates
10/2020 to 9/2023
Supported College and Career Readiness (SCCR) for Secondary Students With Emotional and Behavioral Problems
Description
Through a collaboration with Lehigh University, Neag School associate professor Jennifer Freeman will be developing an intervention to improve college and career readiness for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. This grant is sponsored by the Institute of Educational Sciences (IES). Freeman is a Co-PI with Lee Kern and Chris Liang at Lehigh University. More info
Co-Principal Investigator
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$1,374,356 — U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences - National Center for Special Education Research
Dates
9/1/2020 to 8/31/2023
TAGG-MS: Development and Validation of the Transition Assessment and Goal Generator (TAGG) for Middle School Students with Disabilities
Description
The purpose of this project is to develop the web-based transition assessment,Transition Assessment and Goal Generator-Middle School (TAGG-MS). More info
Co-Principal Investigators
Allison Lombardi (site PI); Tracy Sinclair
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$1,998,806 (subaward of $397,395 to UConn over four years) — U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences - National Center for Special Education Research
Dates
8/1/2021 – 7/31/2025
Think About the Link
Description
The Neag Foundation has provided the UConn Collaboratory on School and Child Health (CSCH) with a two-year grant to facilitate work in the Think about the Link Project. Think about the Link offers practical tools to help schools enhance their work by incorporating the a whole school-whole community-whole child model in decision-making across academic, social, emotional, behavioral, and physical supports. More info
Principal Investigator
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$100,000 for first year — Neag Foundation
Dates
6/16/20-
Thinking Like Mathematicians: Challenging All Grade 3 Students
Description
The grant focuses on implementing pre-differentiated and enriched grade 3 mathematics lessons in algebraic thinking, multiplication, and division. It will also explore teachers’ beliefs about their math teaching self-efficacy and recognizing the potential talent in academically, culturally, linguistically, or economically diverse communities. More info
Principal Investigators
E. Jean Gubbins, Tutita Casa, Aarti Bellara, Bianca Montrosse-Moorhead
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$2,500,000 — U.S. Department of Education / Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
Dates
10/1/2017 to 9/30/2022
Husky Sport mentors lead middle school students in exercise in the gymnasium at the Journalism and Media Academy in Hartford, Conn. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
Faculty also take part in any number of interdisciplinary research projects in partnership with other Schools and Colleges at UConn or at other universities, among them the following:
Academic Year 2020-21
Computer-Aided and Reading Intervention using Neuroimaging of Growth (CARING)
Description
This project utilizes cutting-edge research that will provide us with a better understanding about which areas of the brain are involved in successful reading development. It involves the implementation of a research-based reading intervention with strong evidence of increasing the achievement of children with reading disabilities. Before and after the intervention, we conduct fMRI neuroimaging scans to examine the cortical change resulting from intervention. In addition, we conduct scans every three weeks using functional near-infrared spectroscope (fNIRS) to examine how cognitive changes occur during the course of intervention. More info
Principal Investigator
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$144,305 — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services / National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Dates
8/23/2017 to 6/30/2021
Connecticut Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Other Related Disabilities (LEND) Project
| Description | The purpose of the LEND training program is to improve the health of infants, children, and adolescents with disabilities by preparing trainees from diverse professional disciplines to assume leadership roles in their respective fields and by ensuring high levels of interdisciplinary clinical competence. Funding will support multi-disciplinary research, personnel preparation, outreach, and program development for individuals with disabilities and their families. More info |
| Principal Investigator | George Sugai |
| Department | Educational Psychology |
| Funding | $119,832 — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services / Health Resources and Services Administration |
| Dates | 7/1/2016 to 6/30/2021 |
Husky Teach: Next Generation STEM Teachers
Description
The National Science Foundation and the Robert Noyce Foundation supports funding science teacher preparation for high-needs schools. Awards in the amount of $30,000 are granted each year to six future science teachers enrolled at the UConn Avery Point campus. In addition to defraying tuition costs, the awards compensate research projects with marine science faculty, underwrite professional conference travel, and provide $1,000 in science supplies. Recipients agree to take full-time teaching positions in high-needs schools or repay their scholarship. More info
Principal Investigators
Department
Curriculum and Instruction
Funding
$1,199,568 — National Science Foundation / Directorate for Education and Human Resources
Dates
10/1/2014 to 9/30/2020
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Academy
Description
This contract supports development, implementation, and coordination of the Massachusetts Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Academy, which provides training, coaching, technical assistance, and evaluation support to more than 130 of the state’s lowest performing (levels 3, 4, and 5) schools during their participation in the three-year PBIS academy. More info
Principal Investigators
Adam Feinberg, Brandi Simonsen-Gaines, Jennifer Freeman
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
$3,942,453 — U.S. Department of Education / Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Dates
5/1/2014 to 6/30/2021
Psychometric Analysis and Research for Student Assessment in Connecticut II
Description
The purposes of the project are to (a) conduct psychometric and statistical research to determine the best procedures for assessing student performance, and (b) serve as a resource to the Connecticut Board of Education by providing technical advice on psychometric issues in state testing programs as requested by the Connecticut State Board of Education staff.
Principal Investigators
Hariharan Swaminathan, Jane Rogers
Department
Educational Psychology
Funding
Funding$1,264,738 — Connecticut State Department of Education
Dates
10/1/2017 to 9/30/2020
Academic Year 2019-20
The Development of Ambitious Instruction in Elementary Mathematics and English Language Arts
| Description | This longitudinal, mixed-methods study seeks to identify how teacher education programs can best support beginning teachers' enactment of ambitious instruction in elementary mathematics and English language arts. The study draws on survey, interview and classroom observation data to investigate the influence of 175 beginning teachers' individual characteristics, teacher education learning opportunities, and school contexts on their instruction. |
| Principal Investigator | Dorothea Anagnostopoulos |
| Funding | $204,120 — Spencer Foundation |
| Dates | 10/1/2015 to 9/30/2019 |
Exploring What Works: A Systematic Study of the Effectiveness and Power of Gifted Programs
| Description | The funding supports a National Center for Research on Gifted Education (NCRGE) at the University of Connecticut to address issues of underrepresented populations in gifted programs. The Center examines the extent of gifted programming and student participation; identifying districts and schools that show high achievement growth rates among gifted students, including those from underserved groups; and exploring how these sites successfully identified, served, and retained students from underserved populations in gifted programs. NCRGE is also examining gifted students’ mathematics and reading/language arts achievement under different service options with a focus on underserved populations. More info |
| Principal Investigator(s) | Del Siegle, E. Jean Gubbins, D. Betsy McCoach, Christopher Rhoads |
| Funding | $5,765,710 — U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences |
| Dates | 10/1/2014 to 9/30/2019 |
GlobalEd2: Refinement of Curricular Intervention, Goal 2 Design and Development
| Description | This study focuses on optimizing the student learning impact of the GlobalEd 2 (GE2) curriculum while reducing the duration and conferencing to make it more applicable across the academic year. More info |
| Principal Investigator | Scott Brown |
| Funding | $189,635 — U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences |
| Dates | 7/1/2017 to 6/30/2020 |
National Center for Leadership in Intensive Interventions (NCLII)
| Description | The National Center for Leadership in Intensive Intervention (NCLII) is a consortium of universities including Vanderbilt, Southern Methodist University, University of Connecticut, University of Illinois at Chicago, University of Minnesota, University of Texas at Austin, and Virginia Commonwealth University. NCLII prepares and fully funds special education Ph.D. students to become leaders and experts in research on intensive intervention for students with disabilities who have persistent and severe academic (e.g., reading and math) and behavioral difficulties. More info |
| Principal Investigator(s) | Michael Coyne, Brandi Simonsen, Jennifer Freeman, Natalie Olinghouse, Devin Kearns |
| Funding | $571,978 — U.S. Department of Education |
| Dates | 7/1/2015 to 12/31/2019 |
Paths and Influences on Persistence and Choices in Education, Aspirations, and Careers of Jack Kent Cooke Scholars
| Description | More info on the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation |
| Principal Investigator | Sally Reis Renzulli |
| Funding | $54,685 — Jack Kent Cooke Foundation |
| Dates | 9/1/2018 to 12/31/2019 |
Preparing Tomorrow’s Leaders for High Need Infants and Children and their Families
| Description | This project will prepare eight scholars in an early childhood intervention doctoral program to be faculty in institutions of higher education. More info |
| Principal Investigator | George Sugai |
| Funding | $1,077,680 — U.S. Department of Education |
| Dates | 1/1/2013 to 12/31/2019 |
Project SPARK
| Description | Project SPARK (Supporting and Promoting Advanced Readiness in Kids) focuses on early identification of high potential and intervention to promote achievement among students in grades K-2, particularly those students from groups traditionally underserved in gifted programs. Project SPARK follows the Young Scholars Model, an approach specifically designed to promote increased identification of these students and support for their potential in ways that will make them more ready for increasing levels of challenge across the grade levels. More info |
| Principal Investigator | Catherine Little |
| Funding | $2,500,784 — U.S. Department of Education |
| Dates | 10/1/2014 to 9/30/2019 |
Teacher Professional Development for Embedding Computational Thinking in Mathematics and Science High School Classes
| Description | The project will partner researchers from the Neag School and the Center for Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science at Rutgers University to develop a comprehensive online professional development program for high school science and mathematics teachers. More info |
| Principal Investigator | Suzanne Wilson, Bianca Montrosse-Moorhead |
| Funding | $140,365 — National Science Foundation / Directorate for Education and Human Resources |
| Dates | 6/15/2018 to 9/14/2019 |
Writing for English Language Learners (WELLs): Exploring Instruction and Outcomes
| Description | Project WELLs focuses on the English persuasive writing of Latino fourth-grade students who are, or were, identified as English learners (ELs), with Latino students who were never identified as ELs included as a reference group. The project’s specific aims are to: (a) describe the quality of writing instruction and quality of sheltered instruction among participating teachers; (b) explore both the global and academic-language-specific English persuasive writing outcomes of current EL and former EL students, and determine the extent to which academic language features predict global writing outcomes; and (c) investigate the relationship between quality of writing instruction and English persuasive writing outcomes, and the extent to which the relationship may be moderated by key student-level factors. More info |
| Principal Investigator | Elizabeth Howard |
| Funding | $90,823 — U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences |
| Dates | 10/16/2016 to 8/31/2019 |
Academic Year 2018-19
| Description | This project will pilot and evaluate the effectiveness, acceptability, and feasibility of a workplace health and wellness intervention for teachers in a public school. More info |
| Principal Investigator | Lisa Sanetti |
| Funding | $6,582 — Windsor (Conn.) Public Schools |
| Dates | 7/1/2018 to 6/30/2019 |
| Description | The Connecticut K-3 Literacy Initiative (CK3LI) was created to train teachers and administrators in the best research-based literacy practices and to address the state’s achievement gap from the earliest grades. The goal is to build state capacity to support schools and districts implement the systems and practices that are necessary to narrow the achievement gap in reading within a multi-tiered or RTI framework. CK3LI includes a model that incorporates a school-wide reading improvement plan, a comprehensive literacy assessment system, high-quality classroom reading instruction (Tier 1), evidence-based supplemental intensive reading interventions (Tier 2 & 3), ongoing coaching, targeted professional development for teachers, and partnerships with parents. Through CK3LI, the Center for Behavioral Education and Research has supported more than 50 schools across 19 districts in Connecticut. More info |
| Principal Investigator | Michael Coyne |
| Funding | $4,869,949 — Connecticut State Department of Education |
| Dates | 7/1/2015 to 6/30/2019 |
| Description |
The Connecticut State Department of Education subcontracted with UConn’s Center for Behavioral Education and Research (CBER) to develop a Northeast Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Training of Trainers (NEPBIS TOT). The goal of NEPBIS TOT is to increase PBIS training and coaching capacity in Connecticut and the Northeast by (a) establishing a standard approach to PBIS training and coaching, (b) training individuals (current and future PBIS trainers) accepted into the NEPBIS TOT in this approach, (c) developing a rigorous endorsement process (including on-going training, coaching, and performance feedback), and (d) ultimately endorsing a cadre of Northeast PBIS Trainers. More info |
| Principal Investigator(s) | Brandi Simonsen-Gaines, George Sugai, Jennifer Freeman |
| Funding | $552,564 — U.S. Department of Education / Office of Elementary and Secondary Education |
| Dates | 12/1/2014 to 6/30/2019 |
| Description | This longitudinal, mixed-methods study seeks to identify how teacher education programs can best support beginning teachers’ enactment of ambitious mathematics instruction. It draws on survey, interview, and classroom observation data to examine the influence of 175 beginning teachers’ individual characteristics, teacher education learning opportunities, and school contexts on their instruction. More info |
| Principal Investigator(s) | Dorothea Anagnostopoulos, Tutita Casa |
| Funding | National Science Foundation / Directorate for Education and Human Resources |
| Dates | 10/1/2015 to 3/31/2019 |
| Description |
The major goals of the project are to document the areas of leadership that constitute the focus of 25 school districts’ principal evaluation programs; analyze the relationship between evaluation policy focus and principals’ leadership behaviors; and analyze the relationship between principals’ leadership behaviors and student performance. More info |
| Principal Investigator | Morgaen Donaldson |
| Funding | $1,399,024 — U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences |
| Dates | 7/1/2016 to 6/30/2019 |
| Description | Research from diverse cultures demonstrates that first-born children are more likely to be overweight than their younger siblings during early childhood and beyond. In the context of our obesity epidemic, it is therefore timely to characterize parenting differences between siblings that might explain such differences. Capitalizing on the extensive data collection currently occurring as part of a prospective, randomized, controlled, intervention trial involving first-born infants, the proposed research will enroll their second-born siblings in order to describe differences in parenting during infancy of consecutively born siblings while also evaluating the impact of genetics related to obesity-risk, appetite, and temperament on infant growth during the first year after birth.
The grant follows a longitudinal cohort from a parenting intervention designed to increase responsive parenting around feeding practices. My role is on longitudinal data analysis of treatment effects on BMI. More info |
| Principal Investigator | Eric Loken |
| Funding | $26,983 — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services / National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases |
| Dates | 8/23/2016 to 7/31/2019 |
| Description |
This study evaluates the expansion of federally funded, means-tested prekindergarten programs in 13 communities across Connecticut. The evaluation explores the effects of the expansion on the teacher labor market, student learning, and family engagement while also estimating cost effectiveness. More info |
| Principal Investigator(s) | Casey Cobb, Jennie Weiner, Hannah Dostal, Tamika La Salle, Bianca Montrosse-Moorhead |
| Funding | $987,090 — U.S. Department of Education |
| Dates | 8/1/2015 to 6/30/2019 |
| Description | The purpose of this project is to explore malleable factors that contribute to online reading success among adolescents in the discipline of science. This will enable the field to design scientifically based instructional interventions for testing. More info |
| Principal Investigator(s) | Donald Leu, D. Betsy McCoach, Christopher Rhoads |
| Funding | $602,879 — U.S. Department of Education |
| Dates | 7/1/2017 to 6/30/2019 |
| Description | This project collects and analyzes qualitative data on the structures, systems, and norms related to instructional coaching across four educational systems. The project will answer questions about how and why coaching is embedded into particular systems. |
| Principal Investigator | Sarah Woulfin |
| Funding | $49,300 — Spencer Foundation |
| Dates | 10/1/2016 to 2/28/2019 |
Husky Sport
| Description |
Husky Sport is a community-campus partnership that utilizes the power of sport to connect and empower partners from the city of Hartford and University of Connecticut. This grant provides funding for personnel, materials/supplies, and travel to support physical activity and nutrition programming for North Hartford youth who are eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. More info |
| Principal Investigator(s) | Jennifer McGarry, Justin Evanovich |
| Funding | $1,238,749 — USDA / Food and Nutrition Service |
| Dates | 10/1/2015 to 3/31/2019 |
| Description | More info |
| Principal Investigator | Jennifer McGarry |
| Funding | $456,913 — USDA / Food and Nutrition Service |
| Dates | 10/1/2018 to 9/30/2021 |
| Description | Project CALI is designed to help general education and special education co-teachers improve the quantity and quality of content-area instruction in middle school classrooms. More info |
| Principal Investigator | Devin Kearns |
| Funding | $699,108 — U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences |
| Dates | 7/1/2015 to 6/30/2019 |
| Description |
This study uses mixed methods to examine how social capital and cultural models of engineering success contribute to the retention and degree attainment of women and minority engineering undergraduates. More info |
| Principal Investigator | Gladis Kersaint |
| Funding | $882,336 — National Science Foundation / Directorate for Education and Human Resources |
| Dates | 7/1/2016 to 7/31/2019 |
| Description | Schools and teachers face unprecedented challenges in meeting the ambitious goals of integrating core interdisciplinary science ideas with science and engineering practices as described in new standards. The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), in collaboration with the University of Connecticut, and the Lawrence Hall of Science (the Hall), will develop a middle school ecology unit and related teacher professional development that will help high-need and urban middle school students, including English Language Learners, understand these ideas and related practices.
This is a field study of the effects of a professional development program for middle school science teachers on teacher science knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge. The project entails the develop of practical assessments that can be used to assess teacher knowledge before, during, and after professional development. |
| Principal Investigator(s) | Suzanne Wilson, Bianca Montrosse-Moorhead |
| Funding | $805,364 — National Science Foundation / Directorate for Education and Human Resources |
| Dates | 9/1/2014 to 8/31/2019 |
| Description | The Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is established by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) to define, develop, implement, and evaluate a multi-tiered approach to Technical Assistance that improves the capacity of states, districts, and schools to establish, scale up, and sustain the PBIS framework. More info |
| Principal Investigator | George Sugai |
| Funding | $3,633,643 — U.S. Department of Education / Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services |
| Dates | 10/1/2013 to 12/31/2018 |
| Description | The purpose of this project is to examine the post-school outcomes (specifically, employment and postsecondary education outcomes) of students with disabilities who received special education services in the state of Connecticut, as well as those who have exited the system. More info |
| Principal Investigator(s) | Allison Lombardi, Joseph Madaus |
| Funding | $51,904 — U.S. Department of Education / Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services |
| Dates | 10/1/2018 to 6/30/2019 |
| Description |
Funding for personnel preparation in early childhood special education. More info |
| Principal Investigator | George Sugai |
| Funding | $579,095 — U.S. Department of Education / Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services |
| Dates | 1/1/2013 to 12/31/2018 |
| Description | The high rates of obesity among school age children in the U.S. and the complete lack of existing early-life primary preventive interventions with sustained effects form the scientific premise for this competitive renewal application, which proposes to test the sustained efficacy and long-term effects of a responsive parenting intervention on child BMI.
This grant follows a longitudinal cohort from a parenting intervention designed to increase responsive parenting around feeding practices. My role is on longitudinal data analysis of treatment effects on BMI. More info |
| Principal Investigator | Eric Loken |
| Funding | $28,466 — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services / National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases |
| Dates | 6/1/2018 to 3/31/2019 |
| Description |
The purpose of this implementation grant is to pilot 10 hours of curriculum content in the area of family and school community engagement to be incorporated into the UConn Administrator Preparation Program (UCAPP) at large. We are also designing a mechanism for sharing this content with practicing principals across the state in the form of two-hour professional learning modules for working administrators. Another major focus of this grant is to pilot a specialized internship in the area of family and school community engagement for three students in UCAPP. We are merging this work with the greater Wallace Foundation grant work occurring through the Wallace University Principal Preparation Initiative grant focused on principal training program redesign. More info |
| Principal Investigator(s) | Jennifer Michno, Richard Gonzales |
| Funding | $208,104 — Hartford Foundation for Public Giving |
| Dates | 1/1/2018 to 6/30/2019 |
| Description | Through this $150,000, two-year grant from the Lloyd G. Balfour Foundation, students and the faculty advisor from ScHOLA2RS House will have future opportunities for study abroad and professional development.
The project supports work in the ScHOLA2RS House Living and Learning Community, which is designed to increase retention and graduation rates as well as prepare Black males for graduate and professional school. The ScHOLA2RS House offers an education abroad program during spring break to Salvador, Brazil. In addition, ScHOLA2RS House residents visit graduate and professional schools to broaden exposure and opportunities to apply and enroll in post-baccalaureate degree programs. Guest speakers provide ScHOLA2RS House residents with expertise in areas such as leadership, graduate school preparation, and research. More info |
| Principal Investigator | Erik Hines |
| Funding | $150,000 — Lloyd G. Balfour Foundation |
| Dates | 3/27/2017 to 7/1/2019 |
| Description | The Wallace Foundation has selected the University of Connecticut to participate in a $47 million national initiative to develop models over the next four years for improving university principal preparation programs. UConn’s Neag School of Education will receive approximately $5.45 million over four years to achieve two primary goals: 1.) redesign the UConn Administrator Preparation Program (UCAPP), and 2.) develop a leader tracking system (LTS) with partner districts and the Connecticut State Department of Education. More info |
| Principal Investigator(s) | Richard Gonzales, Casey Cobb, Jennifer McGarry, Jennifer Michno, Sarah Woulfin |
| Funding | $119,436 — Wallace Foundation |
| Dates | 7/1/2016 to 12/31/2018 |
