Current Projects

Seth A. Parsons, PhD, is a professor in the Sturtevant Center for Literacy at George Mason University. His research focuses on literacy instruction, teacher decision-making, and student motivation and engagement. He has extensive experience studying how teachers implement and adapt instructional approaches to meet students’ needs, making this work central to the HQIM research-practice partnership with PWCS. His scholarship has received national awards from American Educational Research Association, Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers, and the Association of Teacher Educators. He currently serves as co-editor of the Journal of Literacy Research.

Jennine Donaldson, Ed.D., serves as the Administrative Coordinator for Research for Prince William County Schools. She collaborates with division leaders and external researchers to conduct and support studies in the PWCS division. Her experience as a classroom teacher and formative assessment specialist guides her work in practical and collaborative research. Her research interests include cross-curricular instruction using real world experiences to promote literacy and language acquisition. She serves as a member of Virginia’s Advisory Board for Teacher Education and Licensure (ABTEL), and her teaching endorsements include grades 6-8 Math, grades 6-8 Science, Biology, Earth Science, and Administration and Supervision. Dr. Donaldson earned her B.A. in Biology from the University of Virginia, an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from Virginia Tech, and an Ed.D. from Liberty University in Educational Leadership.

Dr. Divya Varier is Associate Professor at George Mason’s College of Education and Human Development. Her research is in educational assessment and program evaluation. At Mason, she teaches graduate-level courses in measurement, assessment, evaluation, and mixed methods research. She has served as an evaluator, principal, and co-investigator in several funded projects. Her work includes numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, an edited volume, and a forthcoming Routledge book on teacher assessment literacy. She has also held leadership roles across multiple divisions and special interest groups within the American Educational Research Association. To this project, Dr. Varier brings a commitment to research-practice partnerships and experience in mixed methods research, supporting the development of meaningful, evidence-based solutions to challenges in education.

Allison Ward Parsons is a professor and Director of the Elizabeth G. Sturtevant Center for Literacy at George Mason University. She is a former Title I kindergarten teacher who strives to support teachers’ literacy instruction as they build lifelong learners who love reading. Most recently she has been focused on building an initiative to support literacy in Virginia with a large grant from the US Department of Education (see leap.cehd.gmu.edu). Dr. Ward Parsons currently serves as Vice President-Elect of the Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers. Her research currently focuses on literacy teacher practices and professional development, including literacy coaching, adaptive teaching, and classroom practices that support students’ reading motivation and engagement.

Matthew Birnbaum, Ph.D., serves as Supervisor of Organizational Research and Evaluation in Prince William County Schools' Office of Research, Assessment and Data Services. Since joining PWCS in 2025, he has led the division's research and evaluation team, supporting data-informed decision-making and organizational learning across the school division. Prior to joining PWCS, Matt directed the Office of Research and Evaluation at the Institute of Museum and Library Services, served on the faculty of the Master of Public Administration program at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, and established the evaluation function at the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. He has authored numerous publications in the field of evaluation and holds B.S. from Cornell University and a Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Audra Parker, PhD, is a professor of Elementary Education and Director of the Office of Teacher Preparation at George Mason University. Her research focuses on teacher preparation, school-university partnerships, mentoring, and mentor teacher development in PK–6 settings. Her work as a boundary-spanning teacher educator informs her commitment to developing mutually beneficial partnerships between universities and schools. She co-facilitates ERA.NOVA, the College of Education and Human Development’s research-practice partnership with regional school divisions, where she collaborates with practitioners and researchers to address educational challenges through inquiry, innovation, and shared problem-solving. Dr. Parker has also held leadership and service roles in state and national teacher education organizations, including VACTE, NASUP, and the Association of Teacher Educators.

Arshpreet (Sunny) Kandola is a first-year doctoral student in the Education Ph.D. program at George Mason University, specializing in Educational Psychology and Research Methods. He is studying under Dr. Angela D. Miller and is interested in the influence of individual differences in students’ perceptions and contextual variables on motivation.

Haeun Kim is a first-year doctoral student in the Education Ph.D. program at George Mason University, and her specialization is Literacy, Culture, and Reading. She works as a Graduate Research Assistant under Dr. Varier and Dr. Ward Parsons. Her research interests focus on supporting students' literacy development across various contexts, including students with reading difficulties. She is currently interested in the impact of screen media use on children’s literacy development.

Héctor Moya is a 5th year doctoral student in the Educational Psychology and Research Methods program in the College of Education at George Mason University. His research interests focused on the ways teachers’ motivational and metacognitive regulation shape how they translate their pedagogical beliefs into classroom practice, particularly in their efforts to foster self-regulated learning in students. Mr. Moya previously worked as a Graduate Research Assistant as part of an NSF-funded research study exploring school approaches to online credit recovery, a Behavior and Learning Specialist for the central office of the District of Columbia Public School District, a professional development implementation specialist for the Eureka Math curriculum with Great Minds, and a K-12 public school instructor. Mr. Moya earned his Masters in Public Policy from Georgetown University, and his Bachelor of History at the University of California, San Diego.

Michelle Skelton is a third-year doctoral student in the Ph.D. in Education program at George Mason University, specializing in Literacy and Teacher Education. She currently serves as a middle school reading specialist in Northern Virginia and has more than 25 years of experience as a K–12 literacy and language educator, teaching English as a Second Language (ESL), Spanish, English, and Reading. Her research interests focus on how literacy policies are translated into professional learning, how teachers make sense of those learning experiences, and how those interpretations influence literacy instruction. As both a researcher and practitioner, she is interested in strengthening connections between educational research and classroom practice. Michelle currently serves as Vice-President of the Greater Washington Chapter of the Virginia State Literacy Association (VSLA). She earned a B.A. in Spanish from The College of William & Mary, a M.A. in TESOL from Stony Brook University, and an Ed.S. in Reading Education from the University of Virginia.