About

Welcome! I'm Dr. Katie Valentine.

I am an Assistant Professor at Florida State University in the department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems (EPLS). I teach and advise students in the MS/EdS School Psychology and Combined Counseling and School Psychology PhD programs. If you are interested in learning more about these programs, please go to this website.

I graduated with my PhD in School Psychology (Michigan State University) and completed my predoctoral internship in school-based mental health at the Munroe-Meyer Institute at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. My undergraduate degree in Public Policy Analysis and Sociology (Pomona College) connects my work in education and psychology to systems level change. My decade+ of direct work in K-12 schools with kids learning how to read, write, and speak inspires me everyday. Keep exploring to learn more about me and my professional contributions. Download my CV here.

Research

Why schools? Put simply, I focus my research on where the kids are: schools. I've worked professionally and academically in schools in rural (Michigan and Nebraska) and urban (Los Angeles, Chicago, and Omaha) settings. My research frames special education and systems-level work as tools for advancing equity by identifying how instruction can be made effective for all students.

Why literacy? I define literacy broadly, as a knowledge building and communication skill that involves both reading and writing and oral language. Literacy is an essential skill in our world today. So many scientific fields touch the study of literacy, and my work brings a unique perspective of school psychology and special education into this conversation. Specifically, I think about how systems (e.g., schools and the players within them) can make better decisions about supporting students through assessment and instruction. I have a special focus on improving these decisions for students with disabilities, including dyslexia and developmental language disorder, and multilingual students.

What do I do? My research questions are driven by understanding what schools really need and providing evidence-based solutions to those needs in a way that is directly relevant to educators. I am a co-author of the Writing Architect, a computer-based writing assessment tool that helps educators identify strengths and needs in high leverage areas of developing writing and connect those to research-based instruction. My current work continues the use of this tool to better understand how kids learn and how teachers teach writing. I especially value sharing research through meaningful and ready-to-use resources that are directly relevant to questions that come up in schools.I also have also consulted with state-level policy implementors to ensure assessment practices outlined in legislation are rooted in research that fit specific contexts.

Check my online profile for the most up-to-date publications and presentations list in Google Scholar.

Research Awards and Recognition

Selected Publications

  • Valentine, K. A., & Truckenmiller, A. J. (2025). Assessing writing across levels of language to identify instructional needs. Intervention in School and Clinic, 60(3), 141–149. https://doi.org/10.1177/10534512241289921
  • Valentine, K. A., Truckenmiller, A. J., Troia, G. A., & Aldridge, S. (2021). What is the nature of change in late elementary writing and are curriculum-based measures sensitive to that change? Assessing Writing, 50, 100567. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asw.2021.100567

Conferences

Find me and my work at some of these meetings:

  • National Association of School Psychologists Annual Convention
  • Pacific Coast Research Conference
  • Society for the Scientific Study of Reading Annual Conference
  • American Psychological Association- Division 16

Dissemination and Sharing

I’m committed to making my work accessible to educators! Here are some examples of my outreach.

  • Webinar presentation to National Association of School Psychologists (2025)
  • Webinar presentation to Council for Exceptional Children (2023)
  • Blog post: Assess, interpret, target: Using the Levels of Language to understand writing assessment data and plan for instruction. A Closer Look Blog for the National Association of Psychologists

Teaching and Mentoring

I strive to be a teacher who:

  1. Facilitates wide-spread application of evidence-based practices to support children's wellbeing.
  2. Builds meaningful and collaborative relationships with future colleagues (i.e., students and advisees).
  3. Scaffolds learning experiences to support and challenge students as they develop skills in doing the most important work—empowering the next generation!

University Teaching Experience

I've taught classes and specialized training modules for graduate and undergraduate students that cover the following areas:

  • Foundations of School Psychology
  • Multi-Tiered Systems of Support
  • Research and Program Evaluation in Schools
  • Collaborative Teaming in Systems
  • Screening, Diagnostics, and Decision-Making in Schools
  • Data-Based Individualization

Contact

Let's keep in touch!

Educators and clinicians: Please reach out if you are looking to partner in research, consultation, or professional learning.

Faculty and trainers: I am available to provide guest lectures related to language, writing, reading, multi-tiered systems of support, and working with multidisciplinary teams in schools.

Future school psychologists and literacy researchers (prospective students): I am happy to talk about mentoring and training for a fulfilling career.

Small portrait of Dr. Katie Valentine