Dr. Carol Kochhar-Bryant

For 26 years, Dr. Carol Kochhar-Bryant has developed and directed advanced graduate and doctoral leadership preparation programs in special education and disability studies. Building on her background in medicine and psychology, she initiated a special education doctoral program that includes course work and research internships that bridge cognitive neuroscience and special education interventions for children with atypical development and special learning needs.

While a faculty member at GSEHD, she taught courses in the Doctorate in Special Education program and the Graduate Certificate in Brain Injury: Transition Services program.

Her research and interest focused on analysis of national education policies affecting children with special learning needs, including special education, vocational education, career-technical education, and youth development policies.

In collaboration with former Associate Dean Ianacone, she directed the Federal Education Policy Institute that served GSEHD for 11 years with a focus on policy responses for improving outcomes for children and youth with complex challenges to learning.

Dr. Kochhar-Bryant has worked with the World Bank, Asia Technical Division, to examine special education policies in 12 Asian countries. She has consulted and conducted evaluation with public school districts and state departments of education, and the U.S. Department of Education, National Association for Public Administration. She has served on standards boards such as the NEA Great Schools Indicators Project and the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards Exceptional Learners Panel. She has assisted states to develop and evaluate their State Improvement Grants authorized under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Other relevant evaluation experiences include the evaluation of the six Regional Resources Centers and Federal Resource Center of the U.S. Department of Education, evaluation of non-profit disability organizations, evaluation of special education and transition services in a 22 site correctional education system in Pennsylvania, and a variety of cross-categorical and community-based service (e.g., case management, residential services, adult vocational services, institutional services, respite care services and JTPA employment training programs).

Dr. Kochhar-Bryant is past President of the Division on Career Development and Transition of the International Council for Exceptional Children. Implications of neuroscience for special education practice, policy and research.

 Education

Ed.D., George Washington University

M.A., George Washington University

B.S., University of Maryland, College Park (Psychology and Pre-Med double major)

 Publications

Magee, C., & Kochhar-Bryant, C. (2013). The studio: an environment for the development of social justice in teaching and learning. In M. Hanle, G. Noblit, & T. Barone (Eds.), A way out of no way: The arts as social justice in education, Section I. Theory and concepts about the arts as they relate to social justice in P-Adult education.

Bassett, D., Kochhar-Bryant, C. A., Cashman, J., Morningstar, M., & Wehmeyer, M. (2012). Effective transition: A key measure of accountability in high school reform efforts: A position statement of the Division on Career Development and Transition. Division on Career Development and Transition, Council for Exceptional Children.

Kochhar-Bryant, C. (2011, March). U.S. Country Report: Pathways for students with disabilities to tertiary education and employment. Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Paris. [Commissioned paper by the U. S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education for OECD]

Bassett, D., & Kochhar-Bryant, C. (2011). Secondary education reform: Implications for transition to postsecondary education and employment. In M. L. Wehmeyer & K. W. Webb (Eds.), Handbook of transition for youth with disabilities. New York, NY: Routledge, Taylor and Francis.

Kochhar-Bryant, C., & Heishman, A. (2010). Effective collaboration for educating the whole child. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage/Corwin Press.

Kochhar-Bryant, C. (2010). U.S. Country Report: Pathways to postsecondary education for individuals with disabilities. For the U. S. Office of Special Education. Paris, France: Office of Economic and Cooperative Development (OECD).

Kochhar-Bryant, C. A., & Lacey, R. (2010). Responding to highly vulnerable children: The New Face of 'Learner Diversity.' NCPEA Yearbook, 2010.

Hale, J., Alfonso, V., Kochhar-Bryant, C. A., et al. (2010). Critical issues in response-to-intervention, comprehensive evaluation, and specific learning disabilities identification and intervention: An expert white paper consensus. Learning Disabilities Quarterly, 33.

Kochhar-Bryant, C., & Greene, G. (2009). Pathways to successful transition for youth with disabilities: A developmental process (Second Edition). Englewood, NJ: Prentice Hall-Merrill Education Publishers.

Kochhar-Bryant, C., Bassett, D., & Webb, K. (2009). Transition to postsecondary education for students with disabilities. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage/Corwin Press.

Kochhar-Bryant, C. (2008). Collaboration and system coordination for students with disabilities: Early childhood to post-secondary. Columbus, OH: Prentice Hall-Merrill Education Publishers.