About

I am a professor in the School of Special Education, School Psychology, and Early Childhood Studies in the College of Education. My state and federal grants have addressed school improvement, preparation of teachers to meet the needs of a diverse range of students in general education classrooms, policy issues in special education, and preparation of leadership personnel in general and special education. My research interests include school improvement and developing effective, inclusive school programs; examining the practice of principals in supporting effective inclusive schools; improving teacher quality and teacher practice through the use of practice-based teacher education and high leverage practices; and policy issues influencing special education.

Research Interests

Collaboration and Teaming, Inclusion, Professional Development, Qualitative Research, Special Education, Teacher Education

Education

• Ph.D. - Georgia State University, 1977, Special Education
• M.Ed. - Clemson University, 1972, Counseling
• A.B. - Central Wesleyan College, 1971, Psychology

Activities and Honors

• Member, National Coalition on Inclusive Principal Leadership, Council for Chief State School Officers, 2017 to present
• Member, CEC Standards Development Work Group, Council for Exceptional Children, 2017 to 2021
• Member, CAEP Elementary Standards Work Group, CAEP, 2015-2020.
• Chair, Professional Standards and Practice Committee, Council for Exceptional Children, 2014-2019

Selected Grants

Selected Publications

Articles

• Lee, A., Gage, N. A., McLeskey, J., & Huggins-Manley, A. C. (2021). The impacts of school-wide positive behavior interventions and supports on school discipline outcomes for diverse students. The Elementary School Journal, 121(3), 410-429.
• DeMatthews, D., Billingsley, B., McLeskey, J., Sharma, U. (2020). Principal leadership for students with disabilities in effective inclusive schools. Journal of Educational Administra-tion. 58(5), 539-554.
• McLeskey, J. (2020). Reflections on future directions for including students with severe disabilities. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 45(1), 45-50.
• Billingsley, B., Bettini, E., Matthews, H., & McLeskey, J. (2020). Improving working condi-tions to support special educators’ effectiveness: A call for leadership. Teacher Education and Special Education, 43(1), 7-27.
• Bettini, E., Gurel, S., Park, Y., Leite, W., & McLeskey, J. (2019). Principals’ qualifications in special education and students with disabilities’ reading achievement growth in kinder-garten. Exceptionality, 27, 18-31.
• McLeskey, J., Billingsley, B., & Brownell, M., & Maheady, L. (Eds.) (2019). Guest Editors, Special Issue of Remedial and Special Education: The implications of high leverage prac-tices for re-imagining teacher preparation. 40(6), 331-390.
• McLeskey, J., Billingsley, B., Brownell, M., Maheady, L., & Lewis, T. (2019). What are high-leverage practices for special education teachers and why are they important? Remedial and Special Education, (40)6, 331-337
• Williamson, P., Hoppey, D., McLeskey, J., Bergmann, E., & Townsend, H. (2019). LRE placement rates in the U.S.: Where are we now? Journal of Special Education, 54(4), 236-244.
• Billingsley, B., DeMatthews, D., Connelly, K., & McLeskey, J. (2018). Leadership for effective inclusive schools: Considerations for preparation and reform. Australasian Journal of Special Education, 42(1), 65-81.
• McLeskey, J., Billingsley, B., & Ziegler, D. (2018). Using high-leverage practices in teacher education to reduce the research-to-practice gap. Australasian Journal of Special Education, 42(1), 3-16.

Books / Book Chapters

• McLeskey, J., Maheady, L., Billingsley, B., Brownell, M, Lewis, T.J., and Alber-Morgan, S. (Eds.) (in press). High leverage practices for intensive interventions. Routledge/Taylor & Francis.
• McLeskey, J., Billingsley, B., & Kroger, S. (in press). Learning to use HLPs for intensive interventions: Reflections for teachers, school leaders, and teacher educators. In J. McLeskey, L. Maheady, B. Billingsley, M. Brownell, T.J. Lewis, and S. Alber-Morgan, S. (Eds.). High leverage practices for intensive interventions. Routledge/Taylor & Francis.
• McLeskey, J., Maheady, L., Billingsley, B., Brownell, M., & Lewis, T.J. (Eds.) (2022). High leverage practices for inclusive classrooms (2nd Ed.). Routledge/Taylor & Francis.
• McLeskey, J., Billingsley, B., Maheady, L., Brownell, M. & Lewis, T.J. (2022). Reflections on high-leverage practices for teachers, leaders, and teacher educators. In J. McLeskey, L., Maheady, B. Billingsley, M. Brownell, & T.J. Lewis (Eds.). High-leverage practices for inclusive classrooms (2nd. Ed) pp.357-366. Routledge/Taylor & Francis.
• McLeskey, J., Spooner, F., Algozzine, B., & Waldron, N.L. (Eds.) (2022). Effective Inclusive Elementary Schools: Research and Practice. Routledge/Taylor & Francis.
• McLeskey, J., Waldron, N.L., Spooner, F., & Algozzine, B. (2022). Time to support inclusion and inclusive schools. In J. McLeskey, F. Spooner, B. Algozzine, & N.L. Waldron (Eds.). Effective Inclusive Elementary Schools: Research and Practice. Routledge/Taylor & Francis.
• Algozzine, B., Spooner, F., McLeskey, J., & Waldron, N.L. (2022). Supporting inclusion and inclusive schools. In J. McLeskey, F. Spooner, B. Algozzine, & N.L. Waldron (Eds.). Effective Inclusive Elementary Schools: Research and Practice. Routledge/Taylor & Francis.
• Billingsley, B., McLeskey, J., & Crockett, J. (2019). Success for all students: Leading for effective inclusive schools. In J. Crockett, B. Billingsley, & M. Boscardin (Eds.). Handbook of Leadership and Administration for Special Education (2nd ed.) (pp. 306-332). New York: Routledge.
• Billingsley, B., McLeskey, J., & Crockett, J. (2019). Educational leadership and multi-tiered systems of support. In P. Pullen & M. Kennedy (Eds.). Handbook of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support and Response to Intervention (pp. 104-120). New York, Routledge.

Presentations

• McLeskey, J., Patterson, D., Doyle, K., Kroeger, S., & Kimmel, L. (2021). Building teachers and teacher candidates opportunities to learn to use High Leverage Practices. Council for Exceptional Children Convention, Alexandria, VA (Virtual Conference).
• Artzi, L., Leko, M., McLeskey, J., & Nelson, N. (2020). Shining a light on literacy: Growing literacy leaders from preservice through inservice. Council for Exceptional Children Annual Convention, Portland, OR.
• Connally, K., McLeskey, J., & Purcell, L. (2020). School and district improvement through inclusive princi-pal leadership. Council for Exceptional Children Annual Convention, Portland, OR.
• McLeskey, J. (2020). Preparing all teachers for effective inclusive classrooms. Ohio Dean’s Compact Annual Conference, Dublin, OH.
• Brownell, M., Cuillo, S., Hoffman, B., Kennedy, M., & McLeskey, J. (2019). High leverage practices: The foundation for successful evidence-based practices. Teacher Education Division of CEC Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA.
• Waldron, N., & McLeskey, J. (2019). A resource for school-based consultation: Supporting effective instruction for students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms. International School Psychology Association Conference, Basel, Switzerland.
• Farley, A., McLeskey, J., & Young, M. (2019). Leveraging educator preparation for inclusive principal leadership: Supporting inclusive schools for the success of each child. Advancing Inclusive Principal Leadership Conference, Council of Chief State School Officers, Denver, CO.
• Williamson, P., Hoppey, D., McLeskey, J., Bergmann, E., & Townsend, H. (2019). Least restrictive environment placement rates in the United States: An examination of trends between 1990-2016. Council for Exceptional Children Convention, Indianapolis, IN.
• Leko, M., Bettini, E., McLeskey, J., Rock, M., & Ziegler, D. (2019) Research committee panel presenta-tion: Examining and responding to the critical issue of personnel shortages in special education. Teacher Education Division of CEC Annual Conference, Las Vegas.

Other Publications

• Patti, A., & McLeskey, J. (2019). The role of high-leverage practices in special education teacher preparation. Teacher Education Division of CEC Issue Brief 2, 1-4.
• Billingsley, B., McLeskey, J., & Crockett, J. (2017). Principal leadership: Moving toward inclusive and high-achieving schools for students with disabilities. (Document No. IC-8-Revised). Gainesville, FL. CEEDAR Center.
• Blanton, L., McLaughlin, V., Aceves, T., Cihak, D., Floyd, L., Landrum, T., McLeskey, J., Miller, K., Rock, M., & Stayton, V. (2017). Shaping the future of special education: Framing CEC's Professional Preparation Standards. Arlington, VA: CEC.

Selected Links

• Google Scholar page