Elizabeth Cramer

Elizabeth Cramer is Distinguished University Professor of Special Education and Graduate Program Director of Teaching and Learning. Her research has led scholarly publications, national consultancies, and multiple grants including 18 federal grants totaling over $ 34 million in support of preparing diverse educators to work in urban settings with high-need students.

Dr. Cramer has served as an educational leader at local, state, and national/international levels. She serves on the Miami-Dade County Public School’s Superintendent’s Advisory Panel for Students with Disabilities. She is past president of both the Division of Diverse Learners of the Council for Exceptional Children and the Florida Council for Exceptional Children.

Dr. Cramer received her PhD in Special Education and Reading, her MSEd in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and Early Childhood Special Education, and her BA in Special Education and Psychology all from University of Miami. Previously, she taught special education in Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

Research Areas

• Urban special education
• Preparation of educators to effectively educate culturally and linguistically diverse students with disabilities within general education settings
• Intersection of race, language, culture, poverty, and disability,
• Disproportionate representation of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in special education,
• Opportunity and achievement gaps, Parental involvement of families from racial/ethnic minority backgrounds

Education

• PhD in Special Education and Reading, University of Miami 2002
• MSEd in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and Early Childhood Special Education, University of Miami 1998
• BA in Special Education and Psychology , University of Miami 1997