Susan B. Neuman

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Topic - 2009: Poverty

Susan B. Neuman is a Professor in Educational Studies specializing in early literacy development. Previously, she has served as the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education. She is especially proud of her work in establishing the Early Reading First program, the Early Childhood Professional Development Education Program, and enhancing accountability efforts to improve children's achievement.

At Michigan, she has directed the Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement (CIERA), focusing early childhood policy, curriculum, and early reading instruction, pre-kindergarten - grade 3.

Susan is Director of the Michigan Research Program on Ready to Learn, which includes projects all working to change the odds for children in poverty. She received her doctorate at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California in 1977, her M.A. at California State University, Hayward and her B.A. at American University. Prior to coming to Michigan, she was a Professor at Temple University, the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, and Eastern Connecticut State University.

She is the author of books that include: Changing the Odds for Children at Risk (Praeger, 2008); Educating the Other America (Brookes, 2008); and Nurturing Knowledge: Building a foundation for school success by linking early literacy to math, science, art and social studies (with Kathy Roskos) (2007) and Reading to your young child: A parent's guide (with Tanya Wright) (2007.

Her other books include: The Handbook of Early Literacy Research (Volume I) (2000); Access for All: Closing the Book Gap for Children In Early Education (2001), Handbook on Early Literacy Research (Volume II) with David Dickinson (2006), Learning to Read and Write: Developmentally Appropriate Practice (NAEYC, 2000), Children Achieving: Best Practices in Early Literacy (1998, International Reading Association), Single-subject experimental design: Applications for Literacy (1995), Literacy in the Television Age (Ablex, 1995), and Language and Literacy in Early Childhood (Harcourt Brace, 1993). She has written over 100 peer-reviewed articles in prestigious journals, focused on improving children's odds for those who live in disadvantaged communities.