Bio: 

Jennifer Askue-Collins is an Elementary Program Specialist at the Training and Technical Assistance Center at Virginia Commonwealth University. Originally from Charlotte, NC, she now resides in Midlothian with her husband, three children, two dogs, and two cats. Jennifer balances her professional life with studying for a Ph.D. in Special Education while also spending quality time with her family. In her leisure time, she enjoys reading, knitting, and going to the gym.

Professional Experience:

Jennifer has extensive experience in special education as a teacher and mentor. She currently serves as an Elementary Program Specialist, providing technical assistance and professional development across Virginia Superintendent's Regions 1 and 8. Jennifer has a strong background in co-teaching, inclusive practices, and teacher mentoring, along with numerous conference presentations and publications in the field.

Expertise Areas:

• Special Education

• Elementary Curriculum and Instruction

Education:

• University of NC at Wilmington
  BA in Special Education,

• Longwood University
  MS in Curriculum and Instruction

• Ph.D. Student in Special Education
  Virginia Commonwealth University

Publications:

Naff, D., Alexandre, S., Askue-Collins, J., Bechtold, C., Bridges, K., Butler, A., Davison, T., Frazier, R., Rhodes, J., Merritte, S., Crusco, M., Yandle, A., Samuel, J., Robnolt, V., & Johansen, K. (in progress, April 2024). Understanding the Virginia Literacy Act: A MERC research brief. Metropolitan Education Research Consortium. https://merc.soe.vcu.edu/reports/reports/understanding-the-virginia-literacy-act.html

Naff, D., Askue-Collins, J., & Dauksys, J. (2022, December 20). Teaching writing to middle school students with disabilities: A MERC research brief. Metropolitan Education Research Consortium. https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1131&context=merc_pubs

Research Interests:

• Teacher Preparation
• Literacy Methods

Professional Affiliations:

• Council for Exceptional Children

• Virginia Council for Teachers of Mathematics

• Learning Disabilities of America

LinkedIn Profile