PEABODY COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
Current Projects
Competency -Based Approaches to Child Health (COACH): Language Intervention Team
COACH is a multi-level intervention that: 1) provides developmentally appropriate health coaching to preschoolers and 2) targets parent weight loss while engaging parents as agents of change for their children.
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In this community-based randomized control trial (RCT) study, our team is responsible for structuring a 12-week language program for parents and children. We plan to deliver the Puente de Cuentos curriculum adapted for the community setting and a customized parent workshop series focused on supporting early literacy development. Our efforts will also help local libraries offer parent-child literacy programming.
Assessment Practices, Placement, and Language Status (APPLS)
The purpose of the APPLS study is to learn more about how children develop language and reading skills. This information may help us understand which students may develop reading difficulties and which students may receive special education services. APPLS is a longitudinal study spanning four school years (2023-24 to 2026-27). Participating students in this study are tested two times each school year, once in fall and once in spring.
Special Education Representation and Achievement Gaps Across the School Years by Language Status
In partnership with the Tennessee Education Research Alliance (TERA), our team investigates how Tennessee students are represented in special education (SPED) services. This effort includes both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of students' SPED identification. Results from this project will provide empirical evidence to inform educational research, policy, and practice.