Each spring, SSSP invites proposals for the funding of research projects by early career school psychologists. The major goal of the Early Career Research Award (ECRA) is to support projects that are innovative; have the potential of advancing the science of school psychology by producing new knowledge or empirical findings; and incorporate methods that are rigorous, replicable, and clearly delineated. In recent years, the ECRA program has accounted for more than half of SSSP’s total funding outlay for research awards. Request for Proposals are announced on major school psychology listservs. Applications for the SSSP 2024 Early Career Research Awards are due on April 1st, 2025, 5:00PM EDT.

2025 Committee Members: Greg Fabiano (Chair), George DuPaul, Karen Stoiber, Sherrie Proctor, Tanya Eckert, Tom Power, Robin Codding

Click here for the 2025 RFA

Previous Recipients

2024

  • Kai Zhuang Shum, University of Tennessee-Knoxville; Danbi Choe, Louisiana State University; and Courteney Johnson, Fordham University (Mentor: Sara Castro-Olivo, Texas A&M University). “It’s Time to Listen: Exploring Historically Marginalized Caregivers’ Perception of Social-Emotional Learning”
  • Mei-ki (Maggie) Chum, Utah State University and Jared Izumi, Chapman University (Mentor: Nathaniel von der Embse, University of South Florida). “Unveiling Rater Bias in Social-Emotional and Behavioral Screening with Cognitive Interviews”

2023

  • Kelly Clark, Louisiana State University, (Mentor: Amada Nickerson). “PREPaRE-ing School Mental Health Professionals to Enhance School Safety: Evaluating Effectiveness of the PREPaRE Curriculum.”
  • Jerica Knox, School Psych Sistahs, (Mentor: Janise Parker). “School Psych Sistahs: Evaluating a
    Mentoring Program for Early Career Women of Color in School Psychology.”
  • Stephanie Moore, University of California-Riverside, (Mentor: Aaron Lyon). “Implementation Strategies to Address Barrier to Universal Mental Health Screening: An Expert Panel Study.”
  • Huilin “Linda” Sun, Syracuse University, (Mentor: Katherine Binder). “Reading comprehension behaviors associated with reading difficulties—An eye movement study.”

2022

  • Emily DeFouw, University of Southern Mississippi, (Mentors: David Klingbeil and Robin Codding). “Evaluating the Impact of Spacing and Teaching Episodes on Student Responses to Classwide Math Fact Fluency Interventions.”
  • Garret Hall, Florida State University. (Mentors: David Kaplin and Ethan van Norman). “Making Sense of Uncertainty in Academic Screening Prediction Accuracy for Ordinal Outcomes using Bayesian Modeling.”
  • Narmene Hamsho, University of Massachusetts-Boston, (Mentors: Abbey Eisenhower and Milena Keller-Margulis). “Stakeholder Perceptions of the Writing Skills of Autistic Students.”
  • Sujay Sabris, Miami University, (Mentor: Sherrie Proctor). “Program Policies and Students of Color in School Psychology Graduate Programs.”
  • Brittany Zakszeski, Devereux Center for Effective Schools, (Mentor: Katie Eklund). “Pilot Evaluation of a Targeted Mental Health Intervention for High School Students.”

2021

  • Kathrin Maki & Anne F. Zaslofsky, University of Florida, (Mentor: Robin Codding). “Math Anxiety in Elementary Students: Examining the Role of Timing, Task Complexity, Task Difficulty and Strategy Use.”
  • Sarah Kiperman, Wayne State University, (Mentors: Kris Varjas and Joel Meyers). “P.S. LGBTQ+ Youth Matter: Evaluating an Affirming Program Promoting LGBTQ+ Youth Wellness.”
  • Rachel Santiago, University of Wisconsin-Madison, (Mentors: Sandra Chafouleas and Andrew Garbacz). “Pilot Test and Evaluation of a Trauma Informed Adaptive Classroom Check-Up.”
  • Wesley A. Sims, University of California-Riverside, (Mentor: Linda Reddy). “Continued Validation of the Direct Behavior Rating Classroom Management: A Mini Multi-Trait Multi-Method (MTMM) Study.”
  • Laura Wood, Georgia State University, (Mentor: Andrew Roach). “Accessibility of Early Childhood Services for Children Who Use Medical Devices.” 

2020

  • Dante Dixon, Michigan State University, (Mentor: Frank Worrell). “An Examination of the Utility of Psychological Perceptions for Achievement.”
  • Xu Jiang, Temple University; Mentor – Beth Doll; “Can Growth Mindset Temper the Effects of Poverty-Related Stress on Adolescent Mental Health?”
  • Marisa E. Marraccini, Lauren Sartain, Dana Griffin, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, (Mentor: Dorothy Espelage). “Building Best Practices for School Mental Health Supports During Isolation from Schools: Supporting Adolescents with Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors.”
  • Michael Matta, University of Houston, (Mentors: Milena Keller-Margulis and Sterett Mercer). “Differential Racial/Ethnic Predictive Validity of Written-Expression Curriculum-Based Measurement (WE-CBM) and Automated WE-CBM (aWE-CBM).”

2019

  • Tyler Smith, University of Missouri, (Mentor: Keith Herman). “The Development and Evaluation of a Consultation Model to Improve Teachers’ Family Engagement Practices.”
  • Bridget Hier, University of Buffalo, (Mentors: Erica Lembe and Stephen Kilgus). “They’re Not Just for Behavior: A Novel Application of Direct Behavior Ratings to the Assessment of Writing Quality.”
  • Eui Kyung Kim, North Carolina State University, (Mentor: John Begeny). “Evaluation of the School-Based Check, Connect, and Respect (CCR) Program When Implemented by Undergraduate Mentors.”
  • Chunyun Yang, University of California-Santa Barbara, (Mentors: Amanda Nickerson and Linda Reddy). “A Short-term Longitudinal Study of Pre-service and First-year Teachers’ Victimization Experience and Wellbeing.”

2018

  • Shannon Holmes, University of Missouri, (Mentor: Wendy Reinke). “The Development and Pilot Test of the Universal Fidelity and Implementation Tools.”
  • Brian Daniels and Stacy Bender, University of Massachusetts-Boston, (Mentor: Amy Briesch). “Evaluation of E-Mailed Prompts to Increase Daily Behavior Report Card Intervention Integrity at Home.”
  • Nicole Giuliani, University of Oregon, (Mentor: Laura Lee McIntyre). “Unique Contributions of Parent and Child Self-regulation, Parenting, and Environmental Stress to School Readiness in Preschoolers.”
  • Cixin Wang, University of Maryland, (Mentor: Susan Swearer). “A Culturally Responsible Parenting Intervention to Reduce Peer Victimization and Psychosocial Difficulties for Asian American Students.”
  • Joni Splett, University of Florida, (Mentor: Shannon Suldo). “A Mixed Methods Comparison of Universal Screening and School.”

2017

  • David Klingbeil and Stacy-Ann January, University of Georgia, (Mentor: Scott Ardoin). “A Comparison of Two Reading Interventions and Initial Evaluation of a Caregiver-Delivered Reading Intervention with ELL Students.”
  • Lindsay Fallon, University of Massachusetts-Boston, (Mentor: Amanda Marcotte). “The Impact of the Good Behavior Game on Writing Quantity And Quality.”

2016

  • Prerna Arora and Evan Dart, (Mentor: Beth Doll).
  • Courtenay A. Barrett and Nathan Stevenson, (Mentor: Matt Burns).
  • Michael D. Lyons, (Mentor: Jason Downer).
  • Samuel D. McQuillin, (Mentor: Timothy Cavell).
  • Kimberly A. Zoder-Martell, (Mentor: Leah M. Nellis).

2015

  • Aaron Fischer, (Mentor: William Erchul).
  • Judith Harrison, (Mentor: Steve Evans).
  • Joe Nese, (Mentor: Gerry Tindal).
  • Brandon Schultz, (Mentor: Steve Evans).

2014

  • Brandy Clarke, (Mentor: Susan M. Sheridan).
  • S. Andrew Garbacz, (Mentors: Susan M. Sheridan and Robert Horner).
  • Natasha Segool, (Mentor: James C. DiPerna).

2013

  • Margaret T. Floress, (Mentor: Wendy M. Reinke).
  • Milena Keller-Margulis, (Mentor: Edward S. Shapiro).
  • Stephen Kilgus and Katie R. Eklund, (Mentor: Sandra M. Chafouleas).
  • Kyongboon Kwon, (Mentor: Susan M. Sheridan).

2012

  • Erin Dowdy and Matthew P. Quirk, (Mentor: Michael J. Furlong).
  • Jamie Yarbrough Fearrington, (Mentor: Theodore J. Christ).
  • Amy E. Luckner, (Mentor: Amanda B. Nickerson).
  • Kristin M. Rispoli, (Mentor: Susan M. Sheridan).

2011

  • Julia Ogg, (Mentor: Robert Volpe).
  • Jamilia J. Blake, (Mentor: Jan N. Hughes).
  • Nathan Clemens, (Mentor: Deborah Simmons).
  • Brian C. McKevitt, (Mentor: Lisa Kelly-Vance).

2010

  • Amanda Marcotte, (Mentor: Tanya L. Eckert).
  • Amy M. Briesch, (Mentor: Sandra M. Chafouleas).
  • Sterett H. Mercer, (Mentor: Heather Sterling-Turner).
  • Gina Coffee, (Mentor: Thomas R. Kratochwill).

2009

  • Renee O. Hawkins, (Mentor: David W. Barnett).
  • G. Thomas Schanding, (Mentor: Thomas W. Kubiszyn).
  • Rebecca J. Bulotsky Shearer, (Mentor: Paul A. McDermott).

2008

  • Elise Capella, (Mentor: Marc Atkins).
  • Ryan Kettler and Craig Albers, (Mentor: Thomas R. Kratochwill).
  • Jennifer Mautone, (Mentor: Thomas J. Power).
  • Scott Methe and John Begeny, (Mentor: Ann C. Shulte).

2007

  • Robin Hojnoski and Kristen Missall, (Mentor: Edward S. Shapiro).
  • Timothy Cleary, (Mentor: Barry Zimmerman).
  • Merilee McCurdy, (Mentor: Susan M. Sheridan).
  • Amy Reschly, (Mentor: E. Scott Huebner).
  • Romilia Romínguez de Ramirez, (Mentor: Thomas W. Kubiszyn).

2006

  • Suzanne Bamonto Graney, (Mentor: Kelly Powell-Smith).