Peter Leone

Peter Leone is a Professor in the Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education at the University of Maryland. He received his B.A. and M.A. in history and special education, respectively, at the University of Iowa and his Ph.D. in special education at the University of Washington. During his professional career he has taught adolescents with behavioral disorders in the public schools, trained teachers, and studied education programs and practices in institutional settings. Dr. Leone has monitored, evaluated education services, and provided technical assistance in jails, detention centers, training schools, and prisons in a number of states. He is the former Director of the National Center on Education, Disability, and Juvenile Justice at the UM and he served on the Blue Ribbon Commission for the reform of the Texas Youth Commission in 2007. His research examines access and equity of education services for marginalized youth particularly those in institutional settings, school exclusion, and litigation involving individuals with disabilities in the juvenile and criminal justice systems.