Rate My Professor Edwin Achola

Edwin Achola serves as a Professor in the Department of Advanced Studies in Education and Counseling within the College of Education at California State University, Long Beach. He earned his Ph.D. in Special Education and Disability Policy from Virginia Commonwealth University, M.Ed. in Education of Exceptional Persons from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and B.Ed. in Secondary Education (English) from Maseno University. Achola's research interests encompass culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogy, multicultural transition planning, and post-secondary education for students with disabilities. He contributes to special education programs, including the Education Specialist Credential Program and Master of Science in Special Education, preparing educators for equitable practices.

Achola has secured major grants from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services as Principal Investigator and Project Director, including Facilitating Culturally Responsive Transition Services & Supports (FACTSS) for $1,249,889 (2021–2026) and Culturally Responsive Transition Support in School Counseling and Special Education (CREST) for $1,249,993 (2019–2024). He has served as Co-Principal Investigator on additional OSERS-funded projects such as Multicultural Secondary Transition Services for Students with High Needs Disabilities ($1,249,812, 2019–2024) and Culturally Responsive Transition Policies, Planning and Practices ($1,249,922, 2015–2020). His representative publications include 'Completing College: Antecedents of success in post-secondary Education for Students with Disabilities' (2025, Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals), 'Stakeholder collaboration for a culturally responsive and sustaining approach to universal design for transition' (2023, in Universal Design for Transition), 'Mentoring and planning transition for Black students with diverse abilities in postsecondary education' (2022, in Mentoring while White), 'Practicing What We Preach: Reclaiming the Promise of Multicultural Transition Programming' (2019, Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals), and 'Person-family-centered transition planning: Improving post-school outcomes for culturally diverse youth and families' (2016, Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation). In 2018, Achola was named one of Virginia Commonwealth University’s 10 Under 10 alumni.