School of Education

Education

• Ph.D. in Special Education, University of Maryland
• M.Ed in Special Education, Lesley University
• B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies, Evergreen State College
  
  

Research interests

Culturally responsive special education teacher preparation; socio-cognitive and processes and interventions in reading comprehension for students with disabilities; cultural components of literacy instruction

Publications

• Simpson-Steele, J., Okamura, A., Kelly J., McMullen, J., Sickle, A., & Muccio, L. Ho'oulu: Growing professional disposition in a teacher education program to reflect a Native Hawaiian place of learning (Accepted). Intersection: A Journal at the Intersection of Assessment and Learning
• Simpson Steele, J., Okamura, ‘A., & Kelly, J. (2025). Ho‘oulu: An equity-minded analysis of a professional disposition instrument for teacher education. Emerging Dialogues in Assessment, Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher Education (AALHE). https://www.aalhe.org/emerging-dialogues---ho-oulu--an-equity-minded-analysis
• Kelly, J., & Cummings, K. (2024). Teaching Theme Using Theory of Mind during Interactive Read Alouds. Reading Psychology, 45(3), 261–289. https://doi.org/10.1080/02702711.2023.2276571
• Miller, R.D., Gerzel-Short, L., Kelly, J., Uphold, N., Hsiao, Y-J., Hovey, K.A., & Wei, Y. (2024). Preparing teachers to be culturally responsive: A review of the literature. Multicultural Learning and Teaching, 19(2), 249-268. https://doi.org/10.1515/mlt-2023-0004
• Kelly, J., Kunkel, A. K., Smith, A., Gerzel-Short, L., Park, S., & Moore, A. (2023). The Role of Culture in Reading Comprehension Interventions for Students with Learning Disabilities: A Systematic Review. Learning Disabilities: A Contemporary Journal, 21(1), 17-36.
• Wei, Y., Hovey, K. A., Gerzel‐Short, L., Hsiao, Y. J., Miller, R. D., & Kelly, J. H. (2023). Culturally responsive and high‐leverage practices: Facilitating effective instruction for English learners with learning disabilities. TESOL Journal, 14(2) e697. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesj.697

Bio

Jerae Kelly, Ph.D., is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Special Education at Virginia Commonwealth University. Her research focuses on socio-cognitive processes in reading comprehension as well as culturally responsive literacy instruction and developing equitable teacher preparation for diverse and inclusive contexts. She has extensive experience supporting pre-service and in-service teachers in implementing inclusive, evidence-based  practices for students with disabilities.

Before joining VCU, Dr. Kelly served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where she coordinated special education programs and mentored pre- and in -service teacher candidates. She began her career teaching special education in Baltimore City Public Schools and has experience working in prison education programs. Across all her roles, she is committed to preparing educators to create inclusive, culturally responsive classrooms that honor the lived experiences, strengths, and needs of all learners.

Curriculum Vitae