Paul is a doctoral candidate in Special Education at the University of Oregon. He has worked in education for the past 12 years in a variety of roles including researcher, consultant, classroom teacher, paraeducator, behavioral therapist, and behavior specialist. Prior to his doctoral studies at the University of Oregon, Paul studied Psychology and Applied Behavior Analysis at Central Washington University (CWU).

At CWU, Paul began working with children with special needs in an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) clinic while simultaneously working in a local school district. The contrast between these two settings was stark: rigorous data-based programming in the former, and adhoc intervention in the latter. During this time, Paul learned about Morningside Academy. The temptation was too much to resist.

Paul attended Morningside’s Summer School Institute in the Summer of 2010 and began working as a classroom teacher at Morningside that fall. For the next two years, Paul used Direct Instruction, Precision Teaching and Positive Behavior Supports to teach curricula and topics such as, Corrective Reading, math, writing, Talk Aloud Problem Solving, and Transactional Analysis, using a mix of Direct Instruction, Precision Teaching, and Positive Behavior Supports. During this time, he also conducted placement and post-testing, and precision placement for a portion of the students in reading and math. He also developed two sets of math tests: one for progress monitoring the students’ word problem proficiency and the other for precision placement in the Saxon curriculum. To continue to learn more about scaling-up effective, evidence-based practices, he knew the next step was to pursue his Ph.D. at the University of Oregon.

Paul’s scholarly work has emphasized the implementation of research-based practices, racial equity in education, explicit instructional strategies, and application of various frequency-based activities suitable for fluency-building, motivational modification, and assessment of academic skills. He has presented numerous research studies and workshops at conferences and in districts across the country and internationally.

In his free time, Paul enjoys backpacking, kayaking, and spending time with his family and dog. He also likes traveling, playing games of strategy, and exploring the beach.