Professor Elizabeth B. Kozleski chairs the Special Education program at the University of Kansas. Her work theorizing systems change for equity, inclusive education, and professional learning for urban schools is well recognized nationally and internationally. Her newest book, co-edited by Kathleen King Thorius, was published in January of 2014. Titled Ability, Equity, and Culture: Sustaining Inclusive Urban Education Reform, it was published by Teachers College Press. She was awarded the UNESCO Chair in Inclusive International Research in 2005 and received the TED-Merrill award for her leadership in special education teacher education in 2011. Her research interests include the analysis of models of systems change in urban and large school systems, examining how teachers learn in practice in complex, diverse school settings, researching multicultural educational practices in the classroom improve student learning and the impact of professional learning schools on student and teacher learning. As professor of special education at the University of Colorado-Denver, she served as Associate Dean for Research for six years before moving to Arizona State University where she served as Professor of the School of Social Transformation. She has led a number of national technical assistance projects including the center for principals in helping to build inclusive schools, NIUSI-LEADSCAPE (www.niusileadscape.org), NCCRESt, the national technical assistance center on disproportionality, and the National Institute for Urban School Improvement (NIUSI) that provided support to urban schools working on creating inclusive schools for all learners. She is part of a collaborative partnership with the State of Wisconsin and the University of Wisconsin on Culturally Responsive Positive Behavior Supports. With Alfredo Artiles she led the Equity Alliance at ASU, a hub for policy and research on equity issues. Dr. Kozleski co-edits a book series for Teachers College Press on Disability, Culture, and Equity.

The author of numerous articles, chapters, reports, and books, Dr. Kozleski's expertise has been recognized through her work with many national and international organizations including the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), the Teacher Education Division (TED), the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE), the Colorado Partnership for Educational Renewal, the National Center for Educational Outcomes (NCEO), the American Institutes for Research, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), National Institutes for Health, TASH, and a variety of state and local education agencies.

In 2011, she co-edited the Harvard Press book, Inclusive Education: Examining Equity on Five Continents. She serves on the editorial board for Teaching, Learning, and Human Development for the American Educational Research journal (AERJ). Dr. Kozleski has received more than 25 million dollars in external funds from a variety of sources including the U. S. Department of Education (OSEP), the Motorola, Rose, and Spencer Foundations, the National Education Association, and the Colorado and Wisconsin state education agencies. Dr. Kozleski has presented her work at scientific conferences in Africa, Asia, and Europe, as well as the United States and is currently working with an international coalition of researchers studying equity. Professor Kozleski began her career as an early childhood educator, became a special educator working first in Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia and then, in Boulder Valley Public Schools. Her undergraduate and Master’s degrees were from George Mason University. She received her doctorate from the University of Northern Colorado.

More Info at: https://specialedu.ku.edu/elizabeth-kozleski