IDEA Faculty and Staff

ORRF Reading Coordinator: Rachell Katz

Dr. Rachell Katz currently works as a Regional Coordinator with Reading First schools in the Portland area. She is a 1997 graduate of Dartmouth College and completed both her Master's degree in Special Education (2002) and her Doctorate in School Psychology (2004) at the University of Oregon. In addition to working closely with schools in Oregon, she has conducted DIBELS trainings nationally. Her experience as a pre-school teacher shaped the development of her research interests in area of early intervention, pertaining to both academic and social skills. Dr. Katz has been published in Assessment Issues in Special Education and has served as a reviewer on both Early Reading First and Reading First grant review panels. She was also trained at the Oregon Social Learning Center as a family interventionist on a federally funded grant working with low-income families. The project investigated the academic and behavioral effects of intervening early with the siblings of children who are currently experiencing severe anti-social and behavioral difficulties. Dr. Katz's current research interests are focused on the use of effective reading programs and healthy school-wide systems to prepare children to be successful readers.