My research seeks to help bridge the research-to-practice gap by strengthening educators' use of evidence-based practices. My primary interests are related to behavior and professional development. Specifically, identifying effective instructional methods for supporting student behavior and investigating innovative and responsive technology-based methods for training teacher candidates and sustaining in-service educators. My current research is focused on a refining a problem solving framework called function-based support which helps educators develop student-centered supports for minor behaviors.
I draw on theories related to applied behavior analysis, practiced-based professional development, cultural humility in education, communities of practice, and multimedia design theory. My publication record includes over 70 peer-reviewed articles and several book chapters. I have collaboratively secured over $7 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Education, the National Science Foundation and the South Carolina Department of Education. Over the past few years, I have received several national awards such as the Martin J. Kaufman Distinguished Early Career Research Award (2025) from the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division of Research and E.G. "Ted" Carr Initial Research Award (2021) from the Association of Positive Behavior Supports. I currently serve as an Associate Editor for Teacher Education and Special Education and am a member of several editorial boards (e.g., Behavioral Disorders, Exceptional Children, Journal of Special Education Technology).
I earned my master's and doctoral degrees in special education from Vanderbilt University and the University of Virginia, respectively. I joined the College of Education faculty from Clemson University, where I was an associate professor in the Department of Education and Human Development.
2021 Faculty Fellow, Pearce Center for Professional Communication, Clemson University
2017 Faculty-in-Resident, Fisher Middle School, Greenville SC
2025 Martin J. Kaufman Early Career Research Award, Council for Exceptional Children -Division of Research
2024 Distinguished Paper, South Carolina Educators for the Practical Use of Research, Affiliate of the American Educational Research Association (AERA)
2024 BOLD Ally, BOLD Leadership Network
2021 E.G. "Ted" Carr Initial Researcher Award, Association of Positive Behavior Supports
2021 Interventionist Award, Council for Exceptional Children - Division for Emotional & Behavioral Health
Hirsch, S. E., Strickland-Cohen, K., Duble Moore, T., & Yell, M. L. (Accepted: 10/23/2025). Function-based supports: What the law requires and guidance recommends. Preventing School Failure.
Carpenter, M. E., Brown, C., Hirsch, S. E., & Griffith, C. A. (2025). Who is developing behavior intervention plans for students with IDD? A case study of one school district. Behavioral Modification. https://doi.org/10.1177/01454455251397904
Hirsch, S. E., Kelley, M., & Qualls, L. W. (2025). Preparing the next generation of educators to implement classroom positive behavior interventions and supports. In T. J. Lewis, B. Simonsen, K. McIntosh, and H. P. George (Eds.), Handbook of positive behavior supports, 2nd edition. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-96102-1_18
Speight, R., Hirsch, S. E., Kennedy, M., Michaud, C., Qualls, L., & Aigotti, S. (2025). Supporting rural educators implement proactive classroom management: A professional development study. Teaching and Teacher Education. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2025.105317
McKown, G., Hirsch, S. E., Kelley, M., & Stephan, A. (2025). An exploration of multiple mixed-reality simulation experiences: Reflections from pre-service special education teachers. Journal of Special Education Technology. https://doi.org/10.1177/01626434251389555
Capenter, M., Griffith, C. A., & Hirsch, S. (2025). Autistic people and academics as experts in ECHO for Education. Journal of Special Education Technology. https://doi.org/10.1177/01626434251387312
Griffith, C. A., Hirsch, S. E., McKown, G., & Paxton, N. (2025). Blending practice-based professional development with mixed-reality simulation: Improving school psychologists’ perceptions and knowledge of FBA-based interventions. Journal of Special Education Technology. https://doi.org/10.1177/01626434251379808
Qualls, L. W., Arastoopour Irgens, G., & Hirsch, S. E. (2025). Co-teaching as a dynamic system to support students with disabilities: A case study. Teachers and Teaching in Inclusive Education: A Special Issue of Educational Sciences, 15(6), 733. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15060733
Hirsch, S. E., Rufe, S., & Mathews, H. M. (2025). Developing impactful professional learning experiences for special educators through a community of practice lens. Beyond Behavior. doi.org/10.1177/10742956251345378
Bettini, E. A., & Hirsch, S. E. (2025). Calling on district leaders: Supporting self-contained programs for students with significant behavior support needs. Beyond Behavior. https:/doi.org/10.1177/10742956251340323
Qualls, L., Kelley, M., Hirsch, S. E., & Ura, S. (2025). Mixed reality simulation: Practicing collaborative skills in education. Journal of Special Education Technology. https://doi.org/10.1177/01626434251314009 Open Science Foundation – Preregistration Page: https://osf.io/j4mzu/resources
Morris, K., Hirsch, S. E., Strickland-Cohen, K., & Bruhn, A. L. (2025). Remote classroom management: A survey study of teachers’ online practices. Preventing School Failure. 60(1), 23-33. https://doi.org/10.1080/1045988X.2023.2280982
Office of Special Education Programs
Duration: 2024-2029
Role: External Evaluator
Title: CU-PRIDES: Claflin University-Preparing Resilient Inclusively Diverse Competent Educators for Student Success (OSEP – 84.325X)
Funding: $750,000
PI: Friggita Johnson, Claflin University
Office of Special Education Services, South Carolina Department of Education,
Duration: 2022-2027
Role: Principal Investigator
Title: Behavioral Alliance of South Carolina (BASC)
Funding: $4,635,323
National Science Foundation, Research-Practitioner Partnership
Duration: 2020-2023
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Title: CT-STEM pop-ups4all: An RPP for agile learning
Funding: $956,051
PI: Danielle Herro, Clemson University
Co-PIs: Golnaz Arastapour-Irgens and Matthew Madison
Institute of Education Sciences
Duration: 2020-2024 (no cost extension 2024-2025)
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Title: Build the FRaME: Using Feedback, Reflection, and Multimedia to Teach Evidence-based practices in classroom management
Funding: $1,399,759
Sub-award: $331,581 (to Clemson University from the University of Virginia)
PI: Michael Kennedy, University of Virginia
Co-PIs: Sarah Nagro, Peter Youngs, and Catherine Bradshaw
NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)
Duration: 2018-2020
Role: Principal Investigator
Title: Project ENHANCE: Enhancing educators’ and stakeholders’ abilities to proactively support students with behavioral needs (UL1 TR001450)
Funding: $9,984
Co-PI: Alexis (Cash) Walker, Greenville County Schools
EDSP 490/690: Teacher Candidate Research Seminar in Special Education