Dr. Jessica Toste is an assistant professor in the Department of Special Education at The University of Texas at Austin and a fellow of the Reading Institute within The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk. She received her PhD in educational psychology from McGill University. She teaches courses on reading instruction, learning disability, and special education law. Dr. Toste is a Provost's Teaching Fellow at UT Austin and was named one of the 2017 "Texas Ten," nominated by alumni as a professor who inspired them during their time on the Forty Acres. Her research interests are related to intensive interventions for students with reading disabilities, with a particular focus on data-based decision making processes and motivation. Dr. Toste was trained in reading intervention research as a postdoctoral fellow at Vanderbilt University (2011-2013) and as a Fulbright scholar/visiting researcher at the Florida Center for Reading Research (2008-2009). She has worked as an elementary school teacher and reading specialist in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
In the community, Dr. Toste serves on the Board of Directors and National Advisory Council of GLSEN (www.glsen.org). She is on the Board of Directors of Disability Rights Texas (www.disabilityrightstx.org), the federally designated legal protection and advocacy agency (P&A) for people with disabilities in Texas, as well the the Advisory Board for The University of Texas Charter School System. She volunteers with CASA Travis County, as a court-appointed special advocate and guardian ad litem for children who have been abused and neglected.
Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, McGill University
M.A. in Education Psychology, McGill University
B.S.Ed. in Elementary Education, McGill University
Focuses on effective interventions for students with and at-risk for reading disabilities, with a focus on motivational process and use of data to improve instructional decision making.
Member, National Board of Directors, GLSEN(2017)
Associate Editor, Assessment for Effective Intervention(2017)
Editorial Review Board, Journal of Learning Disabilities(2017)
Member, Advisory Board, The University of Texas-University Charter School(2017)
Member, Board of Directors, Disability Rights Texas(2016)
Editorial Review Board, Intervention in School and Clinic(2016)
Editorial Review Board, Assessment for Effective Intervention(2016)
Chair, GLSEN Austin(2015)
Principal Reviewer, Journal of Educational Psychology(2014)
Project STAMP
As a Provost's Teaching Fellow, Dr. Toste will lead a project titled "STAMP of Success in Doctoral Education: Student Training, Advising, and Mentorship Practices." Toste will assess current practices, develop a mentorship model, and disseminate her findings to the university community. Through exploring mentorship across disciplines, this mentorship model will provide best practice guidelines for facilitating success in doctoral education.
Texas Ten, The Alcade | University of Texas (2017)
G. M. Dunlop Distinguished Contribution Award, Canadian Association of Educational Psychology (2012)
Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (2011 - 2013)
Pat Clifford Ward for Early Career Research in Education, Canadian Education Asssociation (2011)
Governor General's Gold Medal, McGill University (2011)
Student Research Award, Fulbright Foundation - Canada/U.S. Fulbright Program (2008 - 2009)
Amanda M Mcclelland, Ph.D., expected 2020 (Supervisor)
Lisa Didion, Ph.D., expected 2019 (Supervisor)
Marissa J Filderman (Supervisor)
Zainab A Umar (Supervisor)
Lexy House (Supervisor)
| Year | Semester | Course |
|---|
| 2018 | Fall | SED 378R: Rdng Assmt/Dev With Divrs Pops |
| 2018 | Fall | EDC 370E: 1-Reading-F |
| 2018 | Summer | SED s395D: 2-Sem In Behavioral Disorders |
| 2018 | Spring | SED 396C: Trends And Issues In Ld And Bd |
| 2018 | Spring | SED 389: 4-Law And Disabilities |
| 2017 | Fall | SED 378R: Rdng Assmt/Dev With Divrs Pops |
| 2017 | Fall | EDC 370E: 1-Reading-F |
| 2017 | Summer | SED s395D: 2-Sem In Behavioral Disorders |
| 2017 | Spring | SED 396C: Trends And Issues In Ld And Bd |
| 2017 | Spring | SED 389: 4-Law And Disabilities |
| 2016 | Fall | SED 378R: Rdng Assmt/Dev With Divrs Pops |
| 2016 | Fall | EDC 370E: 1-Reading-F |
| 2015 | Fall | SED 396C: 2-Trends & Issues In Ld & Bd |
| 2015 | Fall | SED 378R: Rdng Assmt/Dev With Divrs Pops |
| 2015 | Summer | SED s389: 4-Law And Disabilities |
| 2015 | Spring | SED 383: 8-Instructional Adaptations I |
| 2015 | Spring | SED 378T: Reading Assessment And Devel-H |
| 2014 | Fall | SED 378R: Rdng Assmt/Dev With Divrs Pops |
| 2014 | Spring | SED 378T: Reading Assessment And Devel-L |
"One Big Question" Interview
Special education professionals share perspectives on how to support the learning of students with disabilities over the summer months.
Huffington Post Education
Dr. Toste's listing of contributions to HuffPost.
Alcalde | The Texas Ten
Dr. Toste was recognized as one of the 2017 "Texas Ten," an annual list of inspiring professors, nominated by alumni and selected by the Alcalde magazine.
Texas Education Magazine | Data Mountain
Article about a research project conducted by Dr. Toste and her doctoral student, Lisa Didion.
Ladies Who Lovebomb Podcast
Podcast conversation about protecting LGBTQ students, disability rights, and reading instruction.
