Website for
Dr. Mark R. Shinn
Take Advantage of Mark's Experience in Supporting Schools in 45 States in His Career
- PURCHASE His Reliable and Valid Highly Decodable R-CBM Passages for Growth and Development of Kindergarten and Grade 1 Students
- ACCESS His Professional Learning Resources
- SCHEDULE Your Own Customized Webinars on MTSS
- basic skills screening including dyslexia,
- special education eligibility including specific learning disability (SLD),
- progress monitoring, including growth and development for Tier
- goal setting and more frequent progress monitoring for Tier 2, Tier 3, IEPs, and Conducting 3-Year Re-Evaluations
- SCHEDULE Consultation or Feedback on Your Own MTSS Implementation Issues
- PURCHASE Copies of the original CURRICULUM-BASED MEASUREMENT (CBM) books edited by Dr. Mark R. Shinn.
- LEARN MORE ABOUT FUNNIX, a computer supported Direct Instruction Beginning Reading Program
A Little About Dr. Mark R. Shinn
Dr. Mark R. Shinn received his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology (School Psychology) from the University of Minnesota in 1981 working with Jim Ysseldyke and Stan Deno at the infamous Institute for Research on Learning Disabilities (IRLD).
Early Work
He began applying the knowledge he learned about learning disabilities identification AND the development of what became curriculum-based measurement (CBM) from its earliest days as research tools in real application in St. Paul Schools in 1980-82 with more than 3000 students from Southeast Asia and then as a school psychologist on special assignment in Minneapolis Public Schools from 1982-1984. During that period, the District begain writing all IEPs with CBM and started driving special education eligibility using a Problem-Solving Model and CBM. That's right. A long time ago! It was a "work in progress" and relied heavily on a combination of ideas in Stan Deno and Phyllis Mirkin's book, Data-Based Program Modification Manual (1977) that was published by the Council for Exceptional Children) and bold and innovation applications by Gary Germann in a Minnesota special education cooperative called the Pine County Special Education Cooperative. In truth, it was this Coop that was the well spring of what became "RTI" serving as a hot bed (along with states like IA and PA) for developing the necessary talent and successful practices for implementation elsewhere.
Mark spent 19 years as a professor of School Psychology and Special Education at the University of Oregon and 19 at National Louis University in the Chicago area preparing school psychology students adept in supporting students in a Problem-Solving and MTSS model.
Among $4.2 million of federal research and personnel preparation grants, he had 2 grants for 9 years to national leaders who were to lead Problem-Solving model efforts across the county You probably know some of them and noticed that they were always trained differently! To make a difference! To measure effects! To know what works! And they did aid national efforts!
In addition to his training efforts, Mark contributes to the professional literature on CBM, data-based decision making, SLD identification, and research-based MTSS interventions in MTSS. You can count about 100 book chapters and journal articles including edited 2 books on CBM that you can find on this website. Much of the content, particularly the introductory chapters, are still relevant today. Mark also co-edited 3 books on research-based interventions over 30 years with chapters by our nation’s leading authorities. Because of his expertise, Mark has worked with schools, school districts, and state departments of education and agencies in 45 states. He can bring that accumulated knowledge and experience to you.
Just read a little bit more about Mark and a few of the testimonials on the About Mark Page!
Why Choose Dr. Shinn
Mark has spent his career working to promote EQUAL educational, social, and emotional outcomes for ALL kids. He believes that creating nurturing environments for students (and teachers) through positive behavior support and scientifically based curriculum and instructional practices make a difference. But things have to be PRACTICAL! SIMPLE!
Take a look at this short vignette to the right, just one of a few that were recorded a few years ago at a conference on common questions about MTSS and problem-solving. They are representative of the common questions that teachers and administrators often have that many consultants can’t answer. In this instance, Mark was asked his opinion about how to expedite students receiving appropriately intensive interventions aligned to their needs rather than failing in interventions that are too weak, like Tier 1, then Tier 2, then...finally...