SPED PhD Annual Review
Student Name: N. Kathleen Kosobud
PID: A34944195
Local Student Address: 2055 Pauline Court, Ann Arbor, MI 48103-5185
Local Student Phone Number: 734/995-1094
MSU Student Email Address: kosobudk@msu.edu OR kosobud51@gmail.com
Advisor Name: Troy V. Mariage, Ph.D.
Year of Review: 2013-14
Evidence of work completed on the web:
http://open4ideas.wikispaces.com/Review+Folio+2012-13
*You should attach your current cumulative curriculum vitae to this review form when you submit your materials
for annual review.
*You should attach an unofficial copy of your MSU transcript to this review when you submit your materials for
annual review.
MSU PhD Coursework (Cumulative)
Course Number
Course Title
Semester and Year
Grade Earned
SPED Program Milestones (Cumulative)
Milestone
Guidance Committee Formed
Program Plan Approved
Preliminary Exam Passed
Research Practicum Proposal Approved
Research Practicum Approved
Comprehensive Exam Passed
Dissertation Committee Formed
Dissertation Proposal Approved
Dissertation Approved
Date Achieved
February 2005
February 2005
August 2004
August 2006
June 2009
August 2008
May 2011, reconstituted
January 2012
SPED Program Requirements (Cumulative; attach artifacts as appropriate)
Requirement
Publishable Research Paper 1
Publishable Research Paper 2
Date(s) Achieved
Mariage, T.; Burgener, J.; Wolbers, K.;
Shankland, R.; Wasburn-Moses, L.; Dimling,
L.; Kosobud, K.; & Peters, S. (2009). An
exploratory study of reading in urban and
suburban middle schools: Implications for
at-risk and special education learners.
Education and Urban Society, 42(1), p. 2541.
Kosobud, N.K. (2009). Finding Family-School
Collaboration: Narratives from Mothers of
Children with Disabilities, AERA Division G,
Paper Session titled, Building Inclusive
Communities in Schooling. Paper presented
at the Annual Meeting of the American
Educational Research Association, San
Publishable Research Paper 3
Conference Proposal/Presentation 1
Conference Proposal/Presentation 2
Conference Proposal/Presentation 3
Written Teaching Plan
Evidence of Teaching Effectiveness (e.g.,
SIRS)
Written Analysis of Teaching
(Video of Teaching)
Service/Leadership Evidence 1
Service/Leadership Evidence 2
Service/Leadership Evidence 3
Responsible Conduct of Research Training (5
hours first year, 3 hours each subsequent
year in program)
Diego, CA, April 13-17, 2009
Kosobud, N.K.(2010). Building quality and
equity in schools for students with
disabilities through parent-teacher
collaboration in urban schools. In organized
paper session: School Reform and Students
with Disabilities: Key Stakeholder
Perspectives, T. Mariage, discussant and
chair. 2010 annual Society for Disability
Studies Conference: "Disability in the GeoPolitical Imagination", at Temple University,
Philadelphia, PA, on June 2-6, 2010. (see
online folio)
February 2004, DSE Conference, Ruston, LA
May 2005, DSE Conference, NYC, NY
May 2006, DSE Conference, E. Lansing, MI
See evaluation copies under Teaching
(Parent Education) at the link for this
year’s review folio.
See online portfolio for link to video May
2011
LDA of Michigan Information and
Referral/Advocacy, Publications and Social
Media, Fundraising (ongoing)
Representative to Michigan Alliance For
Families, on behalf of LDA of Michigan-ongoing
Education Advocacy in Washtenaw and
Jackson Counties (IEP and Discipline)
Completed 4/3/13
Annual Accomplishments in Research: With a grant secured from CEPSE in 2013, I was
able to have all interviews transcribed. Work was completed in late August 2013. I began
reviewing the recordings and making corrections in the transcripts. A series of health
problems during my summer break from work interfered with progress toward completion of
the writing of the dissertation, itself. Following my recovery, the demands of my job left me
with little time to work on writing.
Annual Accomplishments in Teaching During this year, I have been working with
families in Washtenaw and Jackson counties. As the opportunities have come up, I have
offered training to families, human service providers, and other groups on topics related to
behavior, disability, mental illness and school discipline. The focus of my work has been on
collaboration with schools for alternatives to suspension and expulsion.
Annual Accomplishments in Service/Leadership I am now established in a paid staff
position at Student Advocacy Center of Michigan, an organization which focuses on
alternatives to suspension and expulsion of K-12 students in Michigan. I am continuing to
add to my knowledge about students with behavior problems facing suspension, expulsion,
or more restrictive placement. My work encompasses a range of issues: eligibility,
manifestation determination, functional assessment of behavior and implementation of
behavior support plans. When necessary, I have filed state complaints, OCR complaints, and
requested the support of special education mediation services to resolve disagreements
regarding student services and supports.
Perceived Strengths and Limitations My strengths continue to be in the area of service:
consultation and technical assistance on disability-related issues.
My investment in my work has become an increasing impediment to completion of my
dissertation. While the completion of the dissertation would make a contribution to scholarly
knowledge about parent perspectives on special education services, it takes a back seat to
my daily work with parents of students who are losing valuable education time due to
exclusion from school. I find it hard to set these immediate (and very real) concerns aside
to discuss similar issues that I encountered in my research.
Since I entered the PhD program with the intention of working with urban families to
improve educational outcomes for their children, I have very little regret about my failure to
complete my dissertation in a timely fashion. It has led to my current employment, which
has been very much informed by the research projects I worked on while in the PhD
program. My experiences in my current work, in turn, will provide added dimension to
future written articles.
I hope that I will be able to translate the research that I conducted into a series of articles,
or perhaps some book chapters, as time is available.
Goals for Ensuing Year and Assistance Needed
While it is clear that I am no longer eligible to continue in the PhD program, having run out
the clock, I would value comments and support from faculty on any articles that I am able
to draft over the next year from the data I gathered during my time as a doctoral student. I
am grateful for the time spent over the years encouraging me to pursue my area of
interest.