Abstract
On March 23, 2016, the field lost one of its most respected scholars and trainers.
Dr. Edward S. Shapiro served as a researcher, instructor, mentor, and leader in school psychology and special education for more than 35 years. He was a pioneer and innovator, who through high-level research and scholarship, significantly advanced our understanding of effective assessment and intervention approaches for children who experience difficulties in the areas of learning, behavior, and chronic illness.
After receiving his doctoral degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1978, Ed held positions at the University of Arizona and the Western Psychiatric Institute at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He joined the faculty of Lehigh University’s College of Education in 1980, and spearheaded the growth of Lehigh’s school psychology program to national stature. He also was instrumental in establishing a pediatric school psychology subspecialty at Lehigh, the first of its kind in the field. Over the years, through his leadership, Lehigh became one of the strongest school psychology programs in the country. Until the time of his passing, Ed continued to serve as a professor of school psychology at Lehigh and director of the Lehigh University Center for Promoting Research to Practice for Individuals With Disabilities.
Ed’s contributions to the field are numerous. He helped to advance the application of behavioral psychology and applied behavior analysis to school-based practice. He was instrumental in fostering significant improvements in the assessment practices of school psychologists by emphasizing assessment that focused directly on important skills relevant for intervention. A firm believer that assessment should closely relate to what is taught, and that the most useful assessments are those that lead to effective interventions, Ed advocated for and advanced the use of curriculum-based assessment techniques for understanding children’s learning difficulties. This work is best captured in his book, Academic Skills Problems: Direct Assessment and Intervention. Now in its fourth edition, this text has been in wide use in school psychology and special education programs across the United States, and has been influential in shaping assessment practices of teachers and school-based practitioners.
Later in his career, Ed was an influential voice in promoting Response to Intervention Systems for improving instruction for all students and enhancing methods for identifying students with disabilities. His emphasis on systems change through primary prevention efforts was evident through an overall message of equitable access to services for all children. In addition to improving educational practices across his home state of Pennsylvania, Ed was also invited to share his knowledge and expertise with educators from around the world.
Ed was editor of School Psychology Review (SPR; the flagship journal of the National Association of School Psychologists) in the mid-1990s at a time when the field was moving in the direction of a data-based, indirect service delivery model. His editorship saw a precipitous increase in quality submissions to the journal, and in many ways, he positioned SPR to attain the high levels of impact and visibility that it enjoys currently. One of the many innovations he introduced to the journal included the “Research to Practice” section that lies at the very heart of his mission as a scholar and trainer.
Ed’s contributions to the field were recognized by several distinguished awards, including the Lightner Witmer Award and Senior Scientist Award from Division 16 (School) of the American Psychological Association, the Distinguished Contributions to School Psychology Award from the Pennsylvania Psychological Association, the Lehigh University Eleanor and Joseph F. Libsch Research Award, and, most recently, the 2016 Outstanding Contributions to Training Award from the Trainers of School Psychologists national organization.
Ed was an outstanding teacher and mentor. He was a fierce student advocate who demonstrated an unfailing commitment to his students and, through his mentorship, provided opportunities to flourish both personally and professionally. Many of his students have become influential scholars or trainers at universities, schools, and hospitals. It was very clear that Ed took his job as a trainer and mentor extremely seriously, to the point where he literally lost sleep if he was concerned about a mentoring or training issue that required resolution. His mentorship and training of students, regardless of their career direction (practice or academia), was what he most valued about his career, and his efforts have been “paid forward” across multiple generations of trainees.
Ed was also the quintessential colleague who was always available to consult on professional and personal issues. For example, during and after his tenure as chair of the Education and Human Services department at Lehigh, Ed devoted countless hours to mentorship and support of colleagues in their scholarly pursuits, grant application preparation, and training activities. Furthermore, in his final role as director of the Center for Promoting Research to Practice for Individuals With Disabilities, he not only built the center “from scratch” but also provided critical intellectual and resource support to colleagues in school psychology and special education wishing to conduct research consistent with the center’s mission.
Ed also enthusiastically pursued activities outside of his career. He was devoted to his wife, Sally, and their two sons (Daniel and Jay) and grandchildren. Ed was a coordinator and coach of youth baseball programs in his local community for many years, well beyond the time when his own boys passed through the program. He also spent countless hours on the golf course, building many friendships along the way.
Although Ed’s friends, colleagues, and students continue to mourn his loss, we take comfort in knowing that his legacy will live on. His work will continue to inspire many to think differently about assessment and intervention, to question the status quo, and to seek new ways to improve the lives of children and youth. He will always be missed, but his work will always be there to guide us forward.