Claudia Rinaldi, Ph.D., is the Professor and Chair of the Education Program at Lasell University. She is the Lasell University Chair of the Joan Weiler Arnow ’49 Professor of Education, a three-year endowed position awarded for excellence in teaching and community impact. Her areas of research are the implementation of the Multi-Tier System of Supports (MTSS) framework in urban settings with English learners, teacher education in bilingual special education, and diversifying the teacher pipeline. Claudia has authored peer-reviewed publications and a book for educators called Practical Ways to Engage All Struggling Readers. She leads a graduate certificate program in Teaching Bilingual Students with Disabilities for general, ESL, and special education teachers geared towards applying research-informed practices to the questions and processes of identifying whether it is a language difference or a learning disability.
Additionally, Claudia developed a college mentoring program called Pathways to Teacher Diversity for districts and teacher education programs to partner in identifying and supporting underrepresented high school students interested in teaching careers to access and persist in college successfully. She serves on various boards, including the National Center for Learning Disabilities, and serves as an expert for Understood.org and the National Center for Intensive Interventions. She also previously served in the International Council for Exceptional Children Board of Directors and led the conference two years as chair of the conference program that hosts over 5,000 teachers, faculty, and researchers.
Professor Claudia Rinaldi believes that it is critical to prepare teacher leaders who may serve as advocates and allies for all students. She believes that teachers must respond to the belief that all students can learn and succeed beyond barriers like culture, language, disability, poverty, and marginalization in our country and globally.