NextGen Project Directors
Mary Lynn Boscardin, Ph.D., Professor and NextGen Project Director, Department of Student Development, Special Education Administration and Leadership
Education: B.S., Illinois, 1975 M.S., Wisconsin, 1976. Ph.D., Illinois, 1984
Contact: mlbosco@umass.edu, umcec@educ.umass.edu, (413) 545-2231, W253 Furcolo
Professional Interests: Data Use and Evidence-Based Practices in Special Education Administration; Special Education Finance; Special Education Organization and Management; Integration of Students with Special Needs; Service Delivery Models for Students with Special Needs.
John Hintze, Ph.D., Professor and NextGen Project Co-Director, Department of Student Development
Education: School Psychology Program BA, SUNY Cortland 1982, MA, Alfred University 1984, PhD, Lehigh University 1994
Contact: hintze@educ.umass.edu, (413) 577-1470, S166 Furcolo
Professional Interests: Applied Research and Program Evaluation, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), School-Based Assessment and Intervention.
NextGen Faculty
Craig Wells, Ph.D., Professor and Associate Director for the Center for Educational Assessment, Department of Educational Policy, Research & Administration
Education: B.A., Castleton State College, 1993, M.A., University of Wisconsin at Madison, 2000, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin at Madison, 2004
Contact: cswells@educ.umass.edu, (413) 577-1726, N116 Furcolo
Professional Interests: Quantitative Methods, Item Response Theory, Model Fit, Differential Item Functioning, Hypothesis Testing, and Philosophy of Science.
Linda Griffin, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Teacher Education & Curriculum Studies
Education: B.S., Black Hills State, 1976, M.S., Ithaca, 1986, Ph.D., Ohio State, 1991
Contact: lgriffin@educ.umass.edu, (413) 545-6985, W225 Furcolo
Professional Interests: Teacher Education and School Improvement. Her research and scholarly interest for over 25 years has been on the teaching and learning of sport related games through a games-centered approach grounded in constructivist learning.
NextGen Grant Coordinator
Caitlin L. Bourgaize-Saunderson, M. S., M. Ed., Doctoral Candidate, School Psychology, Department of Student Development
Professional Interests: School and Clinical Psychology, Special Education, Therapeutic/Alternative Schools, Working with Students with Emotional Special Needs and Social Emotional Challenges, Systems-Level Supports for Students in Special Education with a Variety of Physical, Intellectual, and Emotional Behavioral Challenges, and Staff Support and Training for Working with Student Populations with Intensive Needs in Special Education.
NextGen Ph.D. Scholars
Julia Lignori, Ed.S., Doctoral Student, Special Education, Department of Student Development
Education: B.A. Psychology, Brown University, 2003, M.Ed. Special Education, Northeastern University, 2008, Ed.S., Special Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2022
Professional Interests: Policy and Best Practices in School-Based Mental Health Services, Research on Integration and Specialized Instruction, Leadership for Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Research on Special Education Teacher Recruitment and Preparation.
Nora Verni, M.Ed., (she/her)Doctoral Student, Special Education, Department of Student Development
Education: B.A. English, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2010, M.Ed. Special Education, Moderate Special Needs, University of Massachusetts Boston, 2015.
Professional Interests: Special Education Teacher and Personnel Preparation and Mentorship, Multi-tiered System of Support (MTSS), Literacy Instruction and Intervention, School and Family Engagement, Special Education Administration and Policy Development.
Clara McCoy, Ed.S., (she/they) Doctoral Student, Special Education, Department of Student Development
Education: B.A. Sex Studies, Mount Holyoke College, 2005, M.Ed. School Psychology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2015, Ed.S. School Psychology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2018
Professional Interests: Policy and Best Practices using Liberatory Models of Disability; Research on Integration, Neurodiversity and Disability Affirming Special Education Programming; Research on Multiply-Diminished Students and School Climate; Transformative Fairness in School Discipline; Multi-Tiered Systems of Support and Use of Data to Support Instructional & Mental Health Intervention.