Greg Benner

Dr. Gregory J. Benner is an Associate Professor of Special Education at the University of Washington – Tacoma. He specializes in positive behavioral interventions and supports and tiered instruction systems (e.g., RtI) to meet the academic and social/emotional needs of all kids. A parent of four energetic kids, Dr. Benner has expertise in building the capacity of educators, mental health professionals, and parents to better understand and meet the needs of youth who are least understood and struggling most. He has helped hundreds of elementary, middle, and high schools to develop sustainable systems for narrowing the achievement gap. As a special education teacher, he was honored with the Apple Excellence in Education award for improving the academic and behavioral outcomes of students with behavioral challenges. He was awarded the Wesley Becker Award for Outstanding Research for his work on early intervention and prevention of reading difficulties. His co-authored book entitled, “Instructional Practices for Students with Behavioral Disorders: Strategies for Reading, Writing, and Math” is part of the What Works for Special Needs Learners Series published by Guilford Press. Dr. Benner has over 120 presentations and publications that reflect his ability to disseminate research findings and best practices to the field.

My professional goal is to build the capacity of professionals to understand and meet the needs of youth with or at-risk of behavior disorders. My work centers on five areas of expertise to reach this professional goal.