Faculty Profile for Dr. Stephen P Ciullo

Biography Section

Biography and Education

Stephen Ciullo is an Associate Professor of Special Education. His research focuses on two topics. First, he studies the extent to which classroom writing instruction provided to students with disabilities aligns with research evidence, and how observed instruction relates to students’ writing performance. Second, Stephen is interested in interventions that enhance teachers’ effectiveness in the area of writing and content-area knowledge.

Stephen has received three research grants from the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). He is Primary Investigator (PI) on an IES-funded project (R324A180137) that explores the extent to which effective writing instructional practices are used by special educators and general educators who teach writing to students with disabilities. This project also examines differences between the writing instruction of special educators and general educators. Stephen serves as Co-PI on a second IES-funded grant (R324A190028) with Dr. Linda Mason (PI). This project explores relationships between middle school social studies and science teachers' use of evidence-based writing practices, teachers' beliefs about adapting instruction for students with disabilities, and students' writing outcomes. Additionally, Stephen is Co-PI on a recently funded IES grant (PI Alyson Collins, Texas State University). This project (R305A200363) is a meta-analysis of writing interventions for students in Grades K-5.

Stephen teaches undergraduate as well as graduate-level special education courses. His courses focus on Learning Disabilities, and instructional practices that improve reading and writing outcomes for students who receive special education services.

Before joining Texas State University, Stephen earned his doctorate in Special Education from the University of Texas at Austin. He was also a Special Education teacher in New York for six years.