About

Erica D. McCray is the Associate Dean, Personnel Affairs & Community Engagement at the University of Florida College of Education. She earned her doctorate at the University of South Florida, Tampa. Dr. McCray's experience as a special educator for students with behavioral and learning disabilities in elementary and middle school settings led to her interest in issues of equity and diversity. Dr. McCray is currently co-principal investigator of the CEEDAR Center, an Office of Special Education Programs funded technical assistance project as well as a National Science Foundation research project to broaden participation in engineering.

Research Interests

At Risk and Related Issues, Behavior Management, Classroom Management, Counseling Issues, Diverse Learners, Education Types, Educational Studies, Methodological Research, Middle School / Jr. High, Mild and Moderate Disabilities, Mixed Methods, Multicultural Competencies, Multicultural and Minority Education, Other School and Classroom Issues, Policy Development, Professional Development, School Curriculum Areas and Issues, Service Learning, Socialization Issues / Social Competence, Special Education, Student / Client Issues, Teacher Education, Teaching and Licensure, Theoretical Perspectives, Urban Education

Education

• Ph.D.-University of South Florida, Tampa, Curriculum & Instruction, Special Education, 2006
• M.A.-University of South Florida, Tampa, Special Education, 2002
• B.A.-University of South Florida, Tampa, Psychology, 1998

Professional Appointments

• Director, University of Florida, School of Special Education, School Psychology, and Early Childhood Studies, 2019-Present
• Associate Director, University of Florida, School of Special Education, School Psychology, and Early Childhood Studies, 2016-2019
• Associate Professor, University of Florida, School of Special Education, School Psychology, and Early Childhood Studies, 2013 (tenured)

Activities and Honors

• University of Florida Research Foundation (UFRF) Professorship, 2017-2018 (three-year award)

Selected Grants

Selected Publications

• Houchins, D. E., Gagnon, J., Lane, H., Lambert, R., & McCray, E. (2018). The efficacy of a literacy intervention for incarcerated adolescents. Residential Treatment for Children & Youth, 35(1), 60-91.
• McCray, E. D., Ribuffo, C., Lane, H., Murphy, K. M., Gagnon, J. C., Houchins, D. E., Lambert, R. G. (2018). "As real as it gets": A grounded theory study of a reading intervention in a juvenile correctional school. Child & Youth Care Forum 47(2), 259-281.
• Kamman, M. L., & McCray, E. D. (2018). Interpreting and communicating assessment information with stakeholders to collaboratively design and implement educational programs. In J. McLeskey, B. Billingsley, L. Maheady, & M. T. Brownell (Eds.), High-leverage Practices for Inclusive Classrooms (pp. 67-79). New York: Routledge.
• McCray, E. D., Kamman, M., & Brownell, M. T., & Robinson, S. (2017). High-Leverage Practices and Evidence-Based Practices: A Promising Pair. Gainesville, FL: CEEDAR Center.
• Jackson, D., & McCray, E. D. (2016, October). Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) Students: What Educator Preparation Programs Need to Do to Support Teacher Learning (CEEDAR Center State Policy and Practice Portrait). Gainesville, FL: CEEDAR Center.
• Little, M., Sobel, D., McCray, E. D., & Wang, J. (2015). Redesigning personnel preparation: Lessons learned and considerations for program enhancement. Teacher Education and Special Education, 38(4), 306-322.
• McCray, E. D., Butler, T. W., & Bettini, E. (2014). What are roles of general and special educators in inclusive schools? In J. McLeskey, N.L. Waldron, F. Spooner, & B. Algozzine (Eds.), Handbook of research and practice for effective inclusive schools (pp. 80-93). New York: Routledge.
• Correa, V. I., Alvarez McHatton, P., McCray, E. D., & Baughan, C. C. (2014). Preparing teachers to work with diverse populations. In P. T. Sindelar, E. D. McCray, M. T. Brownell, & B. Lignugaris/Kraft (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Special Education Teacher Preparation (pp. 194-214). New York: Routledge.
• Kozleski, E. B., Artiles, A. J., McCray, E. D., & Lacy, L. (2014). Equity challenges in the accountability age: Demographic representation and distribution in the teacher workforce. In P. T. Sindelar, E. D. McCray, M. T. Brownell, & B. Lignugaris/Kraft (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Special Education Teacher Preparation (pp. 113-126). New York: Routledge.
• Lignugaris/Kraft, B., Sindelar, P. T., McCray, E. D., & Kimerling, J. (2014). The "wicked question" of teacher education effects and what to do about it. In P. T. Sindelar, E. D. McCray, B. Lignugaris/Kraft, & M. T. Brownell (Eds.), Handbook of research on special education teacher preparation (pp. 461-471). New York: Routledge.

Selected Links

• The CEEDAR Center