Kayleigh Sandford

Kayleigh Sandford is a Data Associate at the Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability. She develops curriculum and educational materials, provides technical assistance to content specialists, and supports evaluation planning and implementation for the New York State Education Department’s (NYSED) Office of Special Education (OSE) Technical Assistance Partnership (TAP) for Data. Kayleigh works collaboratively with other Technical Assistance Partnerships to support regional teams of the Office of Special Education Educational Partnership, including specialists from Regional Partnership Centers (RPCs) and Family and Community Engagement Centers (FACE Centers), with a focus on early childhood and school-age education.

Previously, Kayleigh served as a Literacy Specialist with NYSED’s OSE Educational Partnership, working at both the Mid-State RPC at Syracuse University and the Central RPC. With a decade of experience in both general and special education, Kayleigh is deeply committed to improving educational practices for students with disabilities. Her areas of expertise include Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), data-based decision-making, the Science of Reading, and promoting evidence-based practices.

Kayleigh brings experience in instructional design, systems-level coaching, implementation science, MTSS, and evidence-based practices. She is passionate about driving positive change in educational systems through the use of data to enhance literacy practices and inclusive education, ultimately improving student learning outcomes.

Her Master’s thesis, titled “Sensory Integration, Positive Behavioral Supports, and Classroom Climate: Effects on Challenging Behaviors of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder,” focused on supporting children with autism in the classroom environment.

In addition, Kayleigh is an active member of The Reading League’s Educator Preparation Program Community of Practice, contributing to ongoing professional development and collaboration in the field of literacy education.

Education

New York State Professional Certification in Childhood Education (Grades 1–6)

New York State Professional Certification in Students with Disabilities (Grades 1–6)

BS - Lemoyne College, Psychology (concentration in childhood education)

MS - Lemoyne College, Education and Special Education