Khara Turnbull

Khara Turnbull is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Education Leadership, Foundations & Policy at the University of Virginia's School of Education and Human Development. Her work focuses on children's language development, executive function, and school readiness, particularly in low-income populations. She investigates how classroom discourse, family routines, and sleep health influence early academic success.

Education: Ph.D. from the University of Delaware; B.S. from Frostburg State University.

Research Interests:

• Language semantics, syntax, and pragmatics in early childhood
• Role of classroom interactions in student outcomes
• Impact of sleep routines on school readiness
• Intergenerational effects of maternal education and self-regulation
• Cultural responsiveness in family-child interactions

Featured Projects:

• Developing Effective Online Early Childhood Courses Through Innovative Partnerships
• Social Confounders for Health Outcomes Linked to Education (SCHOOL)
• Understanding the Power of Preschool for Kindergarten Success (P2K)

Research Trends: Recent work emphasizes pandemic impacts on low-income families, community resource effects on breastfeeding, and classroom-level interventions to enhance behavioral engagement. Findings highlight the interconnectedness of sleep, language, and executive function in early development.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with the Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning (CASTL) on large-scale educational projects.