Doctor of Philosophy in Teaching and Learning (Special Education Track) Florida International University

Education Specialist in Teaching and Learning Florida International University

Masters of Science in Special Education Florida International University

Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education (Special Education Dual Licensure) North Carolina A&T State University

BIOGRAPHY:

Dr. Sharde Theodore is an Assistant Professor in Morgan State University’s Department of Teacher Education and faculty affiliate of the National Center for the Elimination of Educational Disparities (NCEED). Previously, she taught for five years in Title I schools across Miami-Dade County Public Schools as a General and Special Education Teacher. Her most recent position was serving as an Education Program Specialist at the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs, where she supported national initiatives to improve outcomes for students with disabilities. A proud HBCU alumna, she earned her bachelor’s from North Carolina A&T State University and went on to complete her master’s, specialist, and Ph.D. degrees in Special Education at Florida International University. Dr. Theodore strives to amplify marginalized voices through impactful community-based applied research projects and to prepare the next generation of educational leaders and disability rights advocates.

RESEARCH INTEREST:

Dr. Theodore’s research examines equity in special education, with a focus on eliminating disparities for Black students with disabilities and strengthening the recruitment and retention of diverse special education personnel. Her dissertation explored the experiences of Black women in special education doctoral programs and how these experiences shape their pathways into faculty roles in higher education. She is also deeply committed to advancing culturally responsive practices for Black students with and identified at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Her work in this area investigates the effectiveness of culturally responsive social and emotional learning as a strategy to improve outcomes for Black students with and identified at risk for EBD.

PUBLICATIONS:

Theodore, S. (2024). It's just not a safe space overall for us: Exploring the experiences of Black women in special education doctoral programs [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Florida International University.

Wilder, T. L., Grays, A. Y., Young, F., Moise, D., & Theodore, S. (2024). The LEARN framework: Supporting self-regulation in diverse early childhood settings. Young Children, 79(2), 46-55.

Cumming, M. M., Qiu, Y., Oblath, R., Frazier, S. L., Criado, C., Theodore, S., & Placido, G. (2024). Perceived stress, executive function, and stress regulation: Implications for middle schoolers’ emotional and behavioral wellbeing. Remedial and Special Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325241265973

Wildman, S., Stansberry Brusnahan, L. L., Theodore, S., McCollow, M., Williams, J., Fitzgerald Farrell, E., Harkins Monaco, E. A., & Fuller, M. (2024). Intersectionality in the context of disability. In E. A. Harkins Monaco, L. L. Stansberry Brusnahan, M. C. Fuller & M. O. Odima (Eds.), Disability, intersectionality, and belonging in special education: Socioculturally sustaining practices (pp. 32-62). Rowman & Littlefield.

Cramer, E. D., Theodore, S., Lumpkins, A., Cummings, C. S., & Flores, H. (2023). Enhancing social justice via equity-based multi-tiered systems of supports. In J. Chitiyo & Z. Pietrantoni (Eds.), Social justice and culturally-affirming education in K-12 settings (pp. 111-132). IGI Global. 

Theodore, S., Cummings, C., Silva, M. S., Flores, H., Urquiza, N., & Cramer, E. (2022). The healer: A model for culturally responsive trauma-informed practices in urban schools. In W. Hunter, J. Taylor, & L. Scott (Eds.), The mixtape volume 1: Culturally sustaining practices within MTSS featuring the everlasting mission of student engagement (pp 51-59). Council for Exceptional Children. 

Cumming, M. M., Bettini, E., Brunsting, N., & Theodore, S. (2022). Leveraging working conditions to improve the quality and effectiveness of the special education teacher workforce. In C. J. Lemons, S. Powell, & K. L. Lane (Eds.), Handbook of special education research, Volume II: Research-based practices and intervention innovations, (pp. 56-70). Routledge. 

Theodore, S., Cummings, C. & Cumming, M. M. (2021, November). Embedding culturally responsive trauma-informed approaches. Behavior Today. https://debh.exceptionalchildren.org/blog/behavior-today-newsletter-0      Theodore, S. (2020). Urban school discipline: Comparing the impact of punitive and restorative discipline for minority students. National Association of Special Education Teachers. https://www.naset.org/index.php?id=5391#c41400  

Theodore, S. (2020). Action research report: Effects of classwide peer tutoring on phonics and decoding skills among mixed-age students with disabilities. National Association of Special Education Teachers. https://www.naset.org/index.php?id=5391#c41400  

COURSE(S) TAUGHT:

EDUC 501 Cognitive Basis for Instruction