Rate My Professor Amanda Yurick

Amanda L. Yurick is an Associate Professor of Special Education in the School of Education and Counseling at Cleveland State University's Levin College of Public Affairs and Education. She serves as Director of the Community Learning Center. Dr. Yurick earned her PhD and master's degree in special education and applied behavior analysis from The Ohio State University, along with a bachelor's degree in music from Kent State University. She holds certifications as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral level (BCBA-D) and COBA. With over 20 years as an educator, she teaches graduate and undergraduate students pursuing licensure in special education and applied behavior analysis, including courses such as ESE 412 Parents/Professionals in Special Education and ESE 435 Ethics and Consultation in Behavior Analysis.

Dr. Yurick's research specializations center on early literacy interventions for at-risk urban primary learners, including those from low socioeconomic backgrounds, minority groups, and English language learners. Her work examines supplemental early reading programs targeting phonemic awareness, beginning literacy skills, and reduction of reading disability risk, as well as treatment quality and duration. Additional academic interests include assistive technologies such as text-to-speech for high school students with disabilities, peer-mediated repeated readings to build fluency in urban learners, repeated reading interventions for students with emotional or behavioral disorders, and information technology skills for transition planning in secondary students. Key publications include 'Follow-Up Study of the Effects of a Supplemental Early Reading Intervention on the Reading/Disability Risk of Urban Primary Learners' (2011), 'Effects of a 21st-Century Curriculum on Students’ Information Technology and Transition Skills' (2010), 'Reducing Reading Failure for Kindergarten Urban Students: A Study of Early Literacy Instruction, Treatment Quality, and Treatment Duration' (2010), 'Early Reading Intervention: Responding to the Learning Needs of Young at-Risk English Language Learners' (2009), 'Supported eText: Effects of Text-to-Speech on Access and Achievement for High School Students with Disabilities' (2009), 'Using Peer-Mediated Repeated Readings as a Fluency-Building Activity for Urban Learners' (2006), and 'Repeated Reading for Students with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders: Peer- and Trainer-Mediated Instruction' (2005). Under her leadership, the Community Learning Center secured $1.1 million in grants in 2022. She is a member of the Association for Behavior Analysis International and the Council for Exceptional Children.