Ben Clarke

Dr. Ben Clarke is an Associate Professor and Department Head of Special Education and Clinical Sciences at the University of Oregon’s College of Education. His research focuses on mathematical development, assessment systems, and school-based interventions to support student achievement. He has led over 20 federally funded grants totaling ~$55 million, emphasizing early numeracy interventions and multi-tiered instructional models. Clarke’s work bridges theory and practice, with publications on mathematics instruction, assessment, and RTI frameworks.

Education: PhD (2002), MA (2001) in School Psychology/Special Education from University of Oregon; BS (1997) in Psychology from Wabash College (Phi Beta Kappa).

Research Interests:

• Mathematics intervention design and efficacy
• Early numeracy assessment
• Multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS)
• Technology in education
• Equity in mathematics education

Publications highlight his focus on intervention fidelity, tiered models, and outcomes for students with learning difficulties. Awards include the AERA Special Education SIG Research Award and recognition for academic excellence.

Grants and Advising: Principal Investigator on ~$55M in federal grants; advises graduate students in School Psychology and Special Education. His lab develops evidence-based tools like the KinderTEK iPad program and contributes to national practice guides (e.g., IES RTI for Mathematics).

Labs/Teams: Leads research teams focused on early mathematics intervention and MTSS implementation, collaborating with schools and policymakers to scale effective practices.