About

Patricia Snyder, PhD, is a University of Florida Distinguished Professor of Special Education and Early Childhood Studies. In 2007, Dr. Snyder joined UF as the inaugural occupant of the David Lawrence Jr. Endowed Chair in Early Childhood Studies. She is the founding director of the Anita Zucker Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Studies. Prior to her appointment at the University of Florida, Dr. Snyder was a professor of pediatrics at Vanderbilt University. Before that she was a Professor, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, and Director of the Early Intervention Institute at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans.

Dr. Snyder has over 40 years of experience in the transdisciplinary field of early childhood studies. She began her career as a speech-language therapist working with children birth to age 5 with or at risk for disabilities. In addition to her work as a speech-language therapist, over the course of her career, Dr. Snyder has been an early intervention home visitor; a preschool teacher; a director of an inclusive NAEYC-accredited, university-affiliated early learning program; a higher education faculty member; and a higher education administrator. To each position, she has brought an unwavering commitment to approaching science and practice in early childhood from transdisciplinary, developmental equity, and family- and child-centered perspectives.

Dr. Snyder is an applied researcher. Her work focuses on ensuring evidence-based promotion, prevention, and intervention strategies that support the development, learning, health, and well-being of young children with vulnerabilities due to genetic, biological, or environmental risks are implemented effectively by their caregivers and early learning practitioners in family-and community-based contexts. She has received numerous honors and awards for her teaching, research, and service, including the 2011 Mary E. McEvoy Service to the Field Award from the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children, 2015 Outstanding Mentoring Award from the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children, and the 2021 Kauffman-Hallahan-Pullen Distinguished Researcher Award from the Division for Research of the Council for Exceptional Children. Dr. Snyder is a former editor of the Journal of Early Intervention. She has written more than 130 scholarly and practitioner-oriented articles, book chapters, or books. She has served as principal investigator (PI) or co-principal investigator (Co-PI) for many externally funded projects, including studies funded by the Institute of Education Sciences.

Research Interests

Early Childhood, Early Childhood Assessment and Measurement, Early Childhood Studies, Early Intervention, Evidence-based Practices, Family-centered Practices, Implementation Science, Instructional Practices for Young Children at Risk, Professional Development in Early Childhood

Education

• Ph.D. in Early Childhood Special Education/Infant Specialization, Minor in Psychology, University of New Orleans, 1992
• M.Ed. in Special Education, Millersville University, Pennsylvania, 1981
• B.S. in Speech Pathology and Audiology, Summa Cum Laude, State University of New York at Geneseo, 1977

Professional Appointments

• Editorial Board Member, Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, December 2016 - present
• Editorial Board Member, Exceptional Children, October 2013 - present
• Editorial Board Member, International Journal of Early Childhood Special Education, July 2009 - present
• Editorial Board Member, Journal of Early Intervention, January 2008 - present
• Editor, Journal of Early Intervention, 2005 - 2010
• Editorial Board Member, Infants and Young Children, February 2001 - present

Activities and Honors

• Kauffman-Hallahan-Pullen Distinguished Researcher Award, Division for Research, Council for Exceptional Children, 2021
• University of Florida Distinguished Professor, 2019
• Exceptional Children (journal), Reviewer of the Year Award, 2019
• Outstanding Mentoring Award, Division for Early Childhood, Council for Exceptional Children, 2015
• Predoctoral Fellow, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1992

Selected Grants

Selected Publications

• Snyder, P., Hemmeter, M. L., & Fox, L. (in press). Essentials of practice-based coaching. Brookes.
• Snyder, P. A., & Hemmeter, M. L. (Eds.). (2018). Instruction: Effective strategies to support engagement, learning, and outcomes: DEC Recommended Practices Monograph Series (No. 4). Division for Early Childhood.
• Hemmeter, M. L., Fox, L., & Snyder, P. (2014). Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool (TPOT™) for preschool classrooms manual - Research edition. Brookes.
• McLean, M., Hemmeter, M. L., & Snyder, P. (Eds.). (2013). Essential elements for assessing infants and preschoolers with special needs. Pearson.
• Diamond, K. E., Justice, L. M., Siegler, R. S., & Snyder, P. A. (2013). Synthesis of IES research on early intervention and early childhood education. National Center for Special Education Research, Institute of Education Sciences, US Department of Education [NCSER (2013-3001) v-77]. https://ies.ed.gov/ncser/pubs/20133001/pdf/20133001.pdf
• McLean, M., & Snyder, P. (Eds.). (2011). Gathering information to make informed decisions: Contemporary perspectives about assessment in early intervention and early childhood special education. Young Exceptional Children Monograph Series (No. 13). Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children.
• Snyder, P., Hemmeter, M. L., & Fox, L. (in press). Overview of practice-based coaching: Theoretical, empirical, and practice-based rationales. In P. Snyder, M. L. Hemmeter, & L. Fox (Eds.), Essentials of practice-based coaching. Brookes.
• Snyder, P., Hemmeter, M. L., & Fox, L. (in press). Practice-based coaching framework, components, and formats. In P. Snyder, M. L. Hemmeter, & L. Fox (Eds.), Essentials of practice-based coaching. Brookes.
• Shannon, D., Bishop, C., Snyder, P., & McLaughlin, T. (in press). Coaching strategies and definitions. In P. Snyder, M. L. Hemmeter, & L. Fox (Eds.), Essentials of practice-based coaching. Brookes.
• Shannon, D., McLaughlin, T., & Snyder, P. (in press). Practice-focused strengths and needs assessment. In P. Snyder, M. L. Hemmeter, & L. Fox (Eds.), Essentials of practice-based coaching. Brookes.
• Snyder, P., Hemmeter, M. L., Fox, L., & Bishop, C. (in press). Goal setting and action planning. In P. Snyder, M. L. Hemmeter, & L. Fox (Eds.), Essentials of practice-based coaching. Brookes.
• Snyder, P., Bishop, C. D., Shannon, D., & McLaughlin, T. (2021). Implementing Pyramid Model practices to make a difference for children. In M. L. Hemmeter, M. M. Ostrosky, & L. Fox (Eds.), Unpacking the Pyramid Model: A practical guide for preschool teachers (pp. 161-169). Brookes.
• Carta, J., & Snyder, P. A. (2019). Fifty years of research on children with disabilities and their families: From changing behaviors to transforming lives. In B. H. Wasik & S. L. Odom (Eds.), Celebrating 50 years of child development research: Past, present, and future perspectives (pp. 235-254). Brookes.
• Shannon, D., Bishop, C., Snyder, P. A., & *Jaramillo, J. (2019). Developing a collaborative partnership to enhance teaming: Using a practice-based coaching framework. In P. J. Winton, C. Guillen, & A. G. Schnitz, (Eds.), Teaming and collaboration: Building and sustaining partnerships: DEC Recommended Practices Monograph Series (No. 6, pp. 39-52). Division for Early Childhood.
• Snyder, P. A., *McLaughlin, T., & *Bishop, C. (2018). Maximizing contextually relevant learning opportunities through embedded instruction. In P. A. Snyder & M. L. Hemmeter (Eds.), Instruction: Effective strategies to support engagement, learning, and outcomes: DEC Recommended Practices Monograph Series (No. 4, pp. 51-64). Division for Early Childhood.
• Woods, J., Snyder, P. A., & Salisbury, C. (2018). Embedded practices and intervention with caregivers (EPIC): Linking instruction and family capacity-building recommended practices. In P. A. Snyder & M. L. Hemmeter (Eds.), Instruction: Effective strategies to support engagement, learning, and outcomes: DEC Recommended Practices Monograph Series (No. 4, pp. 145-158). Division for Early Childhood.
• Snyder, P. A., *Bishop, C. D., & Crow, R. (2018). Responsive practice-focused leadership for early intervention. In J. B. Crockett, B. Billingsley, & M. L. Boscardin (Eds.), Handbook of leadership and administration for special education (2nded., pp. 393-416). Routledge.
• Snyder, P., Bishop, C., & McLaughlin, T. (2017). Frameworks for guiding program focus and practices in early intervention. In J. M. Kauffman, D. P. Hallahan, & P. C. Pullen (Series Eds.) & M. Conroy (Section Ed.), Handbook of special education: Section XII Early identification and intervention in exceptionality (2nd ed., pp. 865-881). New York, NY: Routledge.
• Winton, P. J., Snyder, P., & Goffin, S. (2016). Beyond the status quo: Rethinking professional development for early childhood teachers. In L. Couse & S. Recchia (Eds.), Handbook of early childhood teacher education (pp. 54-68). New York, NY: Routledge.
• *Bishop, C., Snyder, P., Algina, J., & Leite, W. (2016). Expanding frontiers in research design and methods in support of evidence-based practice in early childhood special education. In B. Reichow, B. Boyd, E. Barton, & S. Odom (Eds.), Handbook of early childhood special education (pp. 501-539). Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing AG.
• Snyder, P., & Ayankoya, B. (2015). Revising the Division for Early Childhood Recommended Practices: When, who, and how. In A. Santos (Ed.), DEC recommended practices: Enhancing services for young children with disabilities and their families: DEC Recommended Practices Monograph Series (No. 1, pp. 11-24). Division for Early Childhood.
• McLaughlin, T., & Snyder, P. (2014). Using embedded instruction to enhance social-emotional skills. In J. E. Hart & K. J. Whalon (Eds.), Friendship 101: Helping students build social competence (DADD Prism Series Vol. 8, pp. 63-78). Council for Exceptional Children.
• Barton, E. E., Bishop, C. C., & Snyder, P. (2014). Quality instruction through complete learning trials: Blending intentional teaching with embedded instruction. In K. Pretti-Frontczak, J. Grisham-Brown, & L. Sullivan (Eds.), Blending practices for all children: Young Exceptional Children Monograph Series (No. 16, pp. 73-96). Division for Early Childhood.
• Snyder, P., McLean, M., & Bailey, D. B. (2013). Types and technical characteristics of assessment instruments. In M. McLean, M. L. Hemmeter, & P. Snyder (Eds.), Essential elements for assessing infants and preschoolers with special needs (pp. 38-86). Pearson.
• Snyder, P., *McLaughlin, T., & McLean, M. (2013). Recommended practices in assessment. In M. McLean, M. L. Hemmeter, & P. Snyder (Eds.), Essential elements for assessing infants and preschoolers with special needs (pp. 402-419). Pearson.
• Horn, E., Snyder, P., & McLean, M. (2013). Assessment of adaptive behavior. In M. McLean, M. L. Hemmeter, & P. Snyder (Eds.), Essential elements for assessing infants and preschoolers with special needs (pp. 317-354). Pearson.
• Snyder, P., Hemmeter, M. L., McLean, M. E., Sandall, S., & *McLaughlin, T. (2013). Embedded instruction to support early learning in response to intervention frameworks. In V. Buysse & E. S. Peisner-Feinberg (Eds.), Handbook of response to intervention in early childhood (pp. 283-298). Brookes.
• Hemmeter, M. L., Fox, L., & Snyder, P. (2013). A tiered model for promoting social-emotional competence and addressing challenging behavior. In V. Buysse & E. S. Peisner-Feinberg (Eds.), Handbook of response to intervention in early childhood (pp. 85-101). Brookes.
• Snyder, P., *Crowe, C. D., & Crow, R. (2012). Responsive instructional leadership for early intervention. In J. B. Crockett, B. S. Billingsley, & M. L. Boscardin (Eds.), Handbook of leadership and administration for special education(pp. 315-336). Routledge.
• McLean, M. E., & Snyder, P. A. (Eds.). (2011). From the editors. Gathering information to make informed decisions: Contemporary perspectives about assessment in early intervention and early childhood special education: Young Exceptional Children Monograph Series (No. 13, pp. v-ix). Division for Early Childhood.

Selected Links

• Patricia Snyder, Ph.D.
• Anita Zucker Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Studies
• Embedded Instruction for Early Learning
• Embedded Instruction for Early Learning - California
• School of Special Education, School Psychology and Early Childhood Studies