The Center on Disability and Development Announces Interim Associate Director, Dr. Sarah Nagro

Dr. Sarah A. Nagro is joining Texas A&M University as an Associate Professor of Special Education and previous Director of the Interdisciplinary Center for Research and Development in Teacher Education (RITE) and the Principal Investigator of the Virginia Department of Education’s Region Four Training and Technical Assistance Center at George Mason University. Dr. Nagro earned her OSEP-funded doctorate in special education with a specialization in teacher education from Johns Hopkins University and regularly teaches special education research and policy courses. Her research focuses on determining best practices in special education teacher education. Specifically, she focuses on understanding effective approaches to preparing profession-ready teachers through experiential learning that emphasizes reflective practice. Dr. Nagro explores how to lead change in education through policy initiatives at the federal, state, and local level, and has recently published a book on the importance of special education professionals engaging in policy and advocacy related issues. Dr. Nagro has secured over $16 million in external funding in collaboration with high caliber, interdisciplinary research teams. She has written more than 50 peer-reviewed journal articles and a dozen book chapters in areas of special education teacher education and policy. Her most recent funded project titled, “The Special education teacher education Policy, Practice, and Research doctoral training Consortium (SPARC)” was funded in 2024 by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and brings together leaders in a range of special education topics from six universities.