Mitchell L. Yell

Mitchell L. Yell, Ph.D., is the Fred and Francis Lester Palmetto Chair in Teacher Education and a professor of special education at the University of South Carolina. His primary areas of scholarship include special education law, IEP development, positive behavior support, classroom management, progress monitoring, and evidence-based practices in special education. He earned his Ph.D. in educational psychology from the University of Minnesota, following earlier degrees in education and special education, and previously worked for more than a decade as a special education teacher in Minnesota.

Yell is a widely published researcher and author in the field of special education. He has written multiple textbooks, including The Law and Special Education and Special Education and the Law, and co-authored Current Trends and Legal Issues in Special Education, focusing on contemporary legal and policy issues affecting students with disabilities. Across his career he has published well over 100 journal articles and numerous book chapters, and has conducted extensive professional development workshops on special education law, IEPs, and effective educational practices for students with disabilities.