Elisabeth Kutscher

Visiting Assistant Professor, Special Education and Disability Studies

Dr. Elisabeth Kutscher is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Special Education and Disability Studies. Her research agenda emphasizes the development of strength-focused environments that support youth and youth adults with disabilities in pursuing and experiencing fulfilling lives and personal wellbeing. She believes in the application of mixed methods approaches to understand multiple dimensions of complex educational experiences. Currently, her research focuses on amplifying student voices to develop youth-centered understandings of the K-12 factors supporting college participation and persistence.

Prior to moving to the DC area, Dr. Kutscher was special education teacher and assistant principal in New York City. She has worked with children and youth with disabilities from kindergarten through young adulthood, including students with learning disabilities, emotional or behavioral disabilities, autism, intellectual disabilities, and multiple disabilities. Dr. Kutscher views disability as a dimension of human diversity and values the strengths and creativity of youth and their families; she is committed to working for equity in the life experiences of youth with and without disabilities. In addition to her teaching experience, Dr. Kutscher is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.

Education

Ed.D. in Special Education and Disability Studies, The George Washington University

M.S.Ed. in School Building Leadership, City College of New York

M.A. in Applied Behavior Analysis, Teachers College, Columbia University

B.A. in History and German, St. Olaf College

In the News

Ph.D. candidate Hallie Fox (Education and Inequality CRT), along with Drs. Beth Tuckwiller, Elisabeth Kutscher, and Heather Walter, published a paper in the Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies called "What makes teachers well?

Drs. Mikyong Minsun Kim and Elisabeth Kutscher published the article, "College Students with Disabilities: Factors Influencing Growth in Academic Ability and Confidence," in Research in Higher Education.

Dr. Elisabeth Kutscher, together with co-author Jennifer Lillis (Boston University) and the National Technical Assistance Center on Transition, wrote a Medium.com blog post for teachers on Supporting Transition in a Virtual World: Community Experiences.

GSEHD faculty and students participated in the Council for Exceptional Children's Convention and Expo in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Lisa Rice, Dr. Beth Tuckwiller, doctoral candidate Susan Jaffe, and doctoral student Emily Baker presented work titled, "Why Do We Stay?