Greg Benner

Ph.D.	Special Education — Emotional and Behavioral Disorders	University of Nebraska
M.Ed.	Special Education, Educational Policy and Management	University of Oregon
B.S.	Educational Studies & Sociology	University of Oregon

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Year	Award
2018-Present	Helen and Pat O’Sullivan Professor, University of Alabama
2018	President’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Implementation, Northwest PBIS Network
2002	Wesley Becker Award for Outstanding Research, Association for Direct Instruction
2000	Apple Excellence in Education Teaching Award, Oregon Trail School District

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Dr. Benner served as Principal Investigator (PI) on an Institute of Education Sciences (IES) funded impact study of the Think Time Strategy for Schools (R324A07183) resulting in three peer-reviewed publications in Exceptional Children, Behavioral Disorders, and Education and Treatment of Children. He served as PI on an IES funded development and innovation study (R324A150059) called the Integrated Literacy Study Group, which concluded in 2019. From 2020 to 2023, Dr. Benner led a Department of Education, Supporting Effective Education Development project ($4.8M) called Social and Emotional Learning Study Groups. He currently lead an IES funded impact study (R324A200151) entitled, Examining the Initial Efficacy of Friends on the Block.

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Dr. Benner is a prolific researcher with 72 peer-reviewed journal articles, three invited book chapters, two invited books, 25 invited non-refereed publications, and 14 professional learning innovations developed for educators, to date.

Sustainable School and Community Transformation

1. Benner, G. J., Kutash, K., Nelson, J. R., & Fisher, M. B. (2013). Closing the achievement gap of students with emotional and behavioral disorders through multi-tiered systems of support. Education and Treatment of Children, 36(3), 15-29.
2. Benner, G. J. (2019). Comprehensive trauma-informed care for the whole community: The Whole Child Initiative model. Educational Considerations, 44(2).
3. Benner, G. J., Slade, S., Strycker, L. A., & Lee, E. O. (2023), Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child: Sustainable and Comprehensive Change With Foundational Social and Emotional Supports, In Collins, L.W., Landrum, T.J. and Cook, B.G. (Ed.), Issues Around Violence in Schools: Advances in Learning and Behavioral Disabilities, Vol. 33 (pp. 117-133), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0735-004X20230000033008

Professional Learning of Educators

1. Benner, G. J., Trusty, T., McKown, C. & Sanders, S. (2021). Social and emotional learning study groups+: Digitally-delivered professional learning for educators of students with emotional and behavioral disorders, Behavior Today, 37 (3), 4-8.
2. Filderman, M. J., Barnard-Brak, L., & Benner, G. J. (2022). Do teacher beliefs mediate the relationship between professional development and reading outcomes of students with emotional and behavioral disorders? An exploration of effects from a randomized controlled trial. Social Psychology of Education, 25(6), 1437–1458. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-022-09731-5
3. Benner, G. J., Strycker, L. A., Pennefather, J., & Smith, J. L. M. (2022). Improving literacy for
4. students with emotional and behavioral disorders: An innovative approach. Teacher Education & Special Education, 45(4), 331–348. https://doi.org/10.1177/08884064221079813
5. Benner, G. J., Strycker, L. A., Berry, L. A., Logan, A. J., & Lee, E. O. (2023). Associations
6. between childhood trauma, perceived resilience, and teacher burnout. Teachers & Teaching, Theory and Practice, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2023.2173167
7. Benner, G. J., Rock, M. L., Strycker, L. A., Lee, E. O., Bailey, P., & Virgin, A. S. (2023). Working Together: Leveraging Teacher Study Groups to Improve Social and Emotional Learning in the Classroom. Beyond Behavior, 32(1), 24–35. https://doi.org/10.1177/10742956221143497
8. Benner, G. J., Filderman, M. J., Barnard, B. L., Pennefather, J., Smith, J. L. M., & Strycker, L. A. (2023). Evidence of efficacy of the Integrated Literacy Study Group professional learning program to enhance reading instruction for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Psychology in the Schools, 60(1), 182–198. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22773

Academic Interventions

1. Benner, G. J., Nelson, J. R., & Epstein, M. H. (2002). The language skills of children with emotional and behavioral disorders: A review of the literature. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 10(1), 43-59.
2. Benner, G. J., & Jolivette, K., & Baylin, A. (2020). The differential responsiveness of youth with emotional and behavioral disorders and learning disabilities to intensive remedial reading instruction. Education and Treatment of Children, 43(1), 95-107. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43494-020-00008-0
3. Benner, G. J., Michael, E., Ralston, N. C., & Lee, E. O. (2022). The Impact of Supplemental Word Recognition Strategies on Students with Reading Difficulties. International Journal of Instruction, 15(1), 837–856. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2022.15148a

Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Interventions

1. Benner, G. J., Nelson, J. R., Ralston, N. C., & Sanders, E. A. (2012). Efficacy of a primary level standard protocol behavior intervention for students with externalizing behavior problems. Exceptional Children, 78(2), 181-198.
2. Benner, G. J., Sanders, E. A. Nelson, J. R., & Ralston, N. C. (2013). How individual and school aggregate baseline behavior levels moderate response to a primary level behavior intervention. Behavioral Disorders, 38(2), 73-87.
3. Benner, G. J., Strycker, L. A., Ralston, N. C., Michael, E., Jolivette, K., Baylin, A., & Zeng, S. (2022). Promoting engagement of U. S. elementary students with emotional and behavioral disorders: evidence of efficacy of the Classroom Reset program. International Journal of Educational Research Open, 3(1).

Books

1. Aller, S., Benner, G. J., Finsrud, A. (2018). Reset Families: Building Social and Emotional Skills while Avoiding Nagging and Power Struggles. New York: Page.
2. Nelson, J. R., Benner, G. J., & Mooney, P. (2008). Instructional practices for students with behavioral disorders: Strategies for reading, writing, and math. New York: Gilford Press.

Book Chapters

1. Benner, G. J. & Nelson, J. R. (2014). Emotional disturbance and communication. In L. Cummings (Ed.), The Cambridge Handbook of Communication Disorders (pp. 125-140). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
2. Nelson, J. R., Benner, G. J., & Bohaty, J. (2014). Addressing the academic problems and challenges of students with emotional and behavioral disorders. In H. M. Walker and F. M. Gresham (Eds.), Handbook of Evidence-Based Practices for Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (pp. 363-377). New York: Guilford Press.

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• Executive Director, UW Tacoma Center for Strong Schools, 2012-2018
• Senior Affiliate, Center for Youth Development and Intervention, 2022-Present

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Dr. Gregory J. Benner is the Helen and Pat O’Sullivan Professor in the College of Education at the University of Alabama. From 2012 to 2018, Dr. Benner served as Professor and Executive Director of the Center for Strong Schools at the University of Washington Tacoma before assuming his current role. Dr. Benner has served as Principal Investigator or other leadership role on 45 sponsored research projects, to date. The total amount of external grant funds awarded for these projects is over $32M. He has a knack for grassroots collective impact — getting whole communities including youth, families, service providers, and educators on the same page to realize the full potential of all youth. He is co-founder of the Whole Child approach, a blueprint for comprehensive and sustainable school transformation. Tacoma Whole Child was highlighted in a recent cover story in Newsweek in addition to the How Learning Happens video series published by Edutopia, including how to create a seamless whole community system of support in and outside of school. He now leads Tuscaloosa Whole Child, bringing transformational school improvement to all schools in Tuscaloosa County. Visit bamawholechild.com to explore the Whole Child approach, get updates, and to learn how to build strong schools in your community.

Dr. Benner loves educators and they love him back. He builds the capacity of those who serve youth who are struggling most. He has a reputation for giving educators what they need — practical strategies for real-world challenges they face every day. Dr. Benner conducts 40-50 invited presentations on practical behavioral and instructional strategies each year.

He is passionate about transforming lives through transforming systems. In 2012, he co-founded the Whole Child approach, a systematic blueprint for sustainable change in children, citizens, and communities. The Whole Child approach has been endorsed by the National Commission on Social, Emotional, and Academic Development, Science of Learning and Development Alliance, Learning Policy Institute, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ASCD, and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Tacoma Whole Child was highlighted in a recent cover story in Newsweek and by Edutopia. Three years into implementation, Tuscaloosa Whole Child is transforming the lives of youth and adults in all schools in Tuscaloosa County.