Meet Dr. Chandler
Dr. Brennan Chandler began his career as an educator in both public and private schools, working in Nebraska and later in New York City as both a general and special educator. Early on, he saw how unprepared most educators are to meet the needs of students with reading and writing difficulties—a challenge that drove him to become both a researcher and a teacher educator.
He earned his PhD in Special Education with a focus on Learning Disabilities at The University of Texas at Austin, where he studied under Dr. Jessica Toste and was a fellow with the National Center for Leadership in Intensive Intervention, a U.S. Department of Education–funded program that prepares scholars to address the complex needs of students with significant learning difficulties. During his doctoral training, he worked on federally funded reading intervention projects and contributed to the design of reading interventions aimed at improving outcomes for students with persistent reading difficulties, including dyslexia.
Current Role
Today, he serves as an Assistant Professor of Dyslexia in the Department of Learning Sciences at Georgia State University, where he trains graduate students, coordinates the university’s dyslexia endorsement program, and leads research on spelling, word reading, and adolescent literacy. He also serves as a faculty affiliate with Georgia State’s Center for Research on the Challenges of Acquiring Language and Literacy.
Dr. Chandler’s research has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, Journal of Learning Disabilities, and Educational Psychology Review. His work has been recognized nationally, earning the John Wills Lloyd Outstanding Research Award from the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division for Learning Disabilities and the Quantitative Dissertation Research Award from the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division for Research. He is currently leading several state-, privately-, and internally funded projects focused on literacy intervention development and implementation, with an emphasis on bridging research and practice in classrooms.
Beyond the University
Beyond the university, Dr. Chandler is passionate about cutting through the noise and ensuring that evidence-based practices in reading and writing make their way into classrooms, homes, and communities. He partners with families, educators, and school districts to translate research into practice through professional development, consultation, and advocacy. He views his role as a researcher as extending beyond academia to bring the science of reading and writing to life in ways that are practical, usable, and sustainable.
His mission is simple: to bridge the gap between what we know from research and what we do in practice, so every child can access the instruction and support they deserve.