Barbara J. Smith

Dr. Barbara J. Smith is a special-education scholar and early-childhood policy specialist. She earned a master’s degree in early childhood special education and a doctorate in special education and public policy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her professional experience includes serving as an early-childhood teacher, executive director of the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children, policy specialist for the Council for Exceptional Children, and program specialist with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs.

Smith’s work focuses on early-intervention policy, program development, leadership, collaboration, and the implementation of evidence-based practices. She has authored more than 20 peer-reviewed articles and 15 books and chapters, including The Administrator’s Policy Handbook for Preschool Mainstreaming. She is also a contributor to Unpacking the Pyramid Model: A Practical Guide for Preschool Teachers and has served as an early developer of the Pyramid Model’s leadership strategies.