Kathleen A. King Thorius

Professor, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis

Kathleen King Thorius serves as professor of urban special education in Indiana University’s School of Education at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). She was recently named by IUPUI’s chancellor as the university’s Diversity Scholar of the Year and is Principal Investigator for the Great Lakes Equity Center, a Regional Equity Assistance Center funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Thorius’s work examines policy and practice related to eliminating racial and linguistic disproportionality in special education, including response to multitiered intervention frameworks, and educators’ equity-focused professional learning. Previously Thorius was a codirector at the Equity Alliance at Arizona State University, which was the Region IV Equity Assistance Center, and served as the professional learning coordinator for two U.S. Department of Education national technical assistance and dissemination centers: the National Center for Culturally Responsive Educational Systems (NCCRESt) and the National Institute for Urban School Improvement (NIUSI). Thorius has a strong record of facilitating partnerships with state departments of education and school districts to create inclusive, culturally responsive educational systems. She also has extensive experience developing professional development resources and providing equity-oriented professional development to states, districts, institutes of higher education, and professional organizations.