Skip local navigation

Sub-Navigation Menu

Dr. Grace L. Francis
(she/her/hers)
PhD, University of Kansas
Associate Professor
Special Education, PhD in Education
Helen A. Kellar Institute for Human disAbilities
Special Education
Special Education: Autism
Special Education: General Curriculum

Contact Information

Send email to Dr. Francis

Phone: (703) 993-6064
Email: gfranci4 (@gmu.edu)

George Mason University
Fairfax Campus
Finley Building 218
4400 University Dr.
MS 1578
Fairfax, VA 22030

Curriculum Vitae

Download Grace Francis's curriculum vitae

Research Interests

Disability, Family Support, Family-Professional Partnerships, Transition, Adulthood, Expectations, Social Role Valorization

Recent Publications

Textbook

Turnbull, A., Turnbull, R., Francis, G. L., Burke, M., Kyzar, K., Haines, S. J., Gershwin, T., Shepherd, K. G., Holdren, N., & Singer, G. (2022). Families and Professionals: Trusting Partnerships in General and Special Education (8th edition). Pearson.  

Selected Recent Publications

Eagle, C. D., Francis, G. L., Conn-Reda, K., Haynor, K., Español, S. H., Duke, J. M., Hunt, J. A., Majetich, E., & Eagle, T. J., (2026). A scoping review of the barriers to self-advocacy for people with intellectual disability in Bronfenbrenner’s Process-Person Context Time (PPCT) Model. Education Sciences, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16010097

Day, J., Lavín, C. E., & Francis, G. L. (2026). Preparing teachers to partner with multilingual families and families of children with disabilities: A systematic review. Review of Educational Research, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543261448561

Conn-Reda, K., Francis, G. L., Eagle, C. D., Haynor, K., & Espanol, S. H. (2026). Barriers and facilitators to postsecondary outcomes for students with emotional and behavioral disorders: A systematic review. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 34(3), 133-151. https://doi.org/10.1177/10634266261454611

Dodds, R., & Francis, G. L. (2025). ICE or educators at the door? Four strategies to support undocumented and mixed-status families with young children with disabilities access IDEA Part C. Inclusive Practices. https://doi.org/10.1177/27324745251404036

Macedonia, A. M., Francis, G. L., Stanley, J. L., D’Souza, J., & Malue, J. (2025). “My university didn’t prepare me…”: Experiences of assistant principals and preparation for special education. Research on Leadership Education, https://doi.org/10.1177/19427751251344184

Gross, J. M. S., Francis, G. L., Choi, H. J., Stanley, J. L., & Bowen, E. (2025). Professionals need information too: Exploratory data from the Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) in Kansas. Inclusion, 13(2), 87-101. https://doi.org/10.1352/2326-6988-13.2.87  

Francis, G. L., Eagle, C. D., Español, S. H., Conn-Reda, K., Reed, A. S., Majetich, E., Duke, J. M., & Walter, H. L. (2025). Relationships between bioecological factors and expectations for community living and participation outcomes among individuals with intellectual disability and families: A scoping review. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 130(2), 88-103. https://doi.org/10.1352/1944-7558-130.2.88

Francis, G. L., Strimel, M., Macedonia, A. (2025). The EASE Process: Increasing educator reflexivity to foster family-educator collaboration. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 57(4), 304-312. https://doi-org.mutex.gmu.edu/10.1177/00400599231177288

Abera, M., Francis, G. L., Nega, A., Dawud, S., Ali, M., Shibabaw, G., Araya, B., Haines, S., & Aldersey, H. M. (2025). Collaboration for the inclusion of students with disabilities in K-12 education in Gondar, Ethiopia. African Journal of Disability, 14, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.4102/ajod.v14i0.1569

Thompson, M. M., & Francis, G. L. (2025). Exploring socially-just disability resources as a professional paradigm for higher education. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 38(1), 415-430. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1408729.pdf

Francis, G. L., Reed, A. S., Strimel, M. M., Raines, A., & Kinas-Jerome, M. (2024). Experiences of teachers of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Exceptionality. 1-17 https://doi.org/10.1080/09362835.2024.2396103

Francis, G. L., Reed, A. S., & Conn-Reda, K. (2024). Experiences of teachers of students with disabilities and extensive support needs during the COVID-19 pandemic: Administrator considerations for equitable education. School Community Journal, 24(2), 87-107. http://www.adi.org/journal/CurrentIssue/CurrentIssue.pdf

Francis, G. L., Burke, M., Zhang, L., Carter, R. A., Clark, L., & Turnbull, A. (2024). Examining the reflection of family-professional partnerships in professional organization standards. Journal of Special Education, 0(0), https://doi.org/10.1177/00224669231165502

Lavín, C. E., & Francis, G. L. (2023). Challenging the dominant narrative on undocumented Latinx students with disabilities: Understanding is not enough. Multiple Voices for Ethnically Diverse Exceptional Learners, 23(1), 20–31. https://doi.org/10.56829/2158-396X-23.1.20

Strimel, M. M., Francis, G. L., & Duke, J. M. (2023). “We’re human, unfortunately:” Identities and experiences of higher education disability resource professionals.” Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 36(3), 80-100. https://doi.org/ 10.33009/fsop_jpss132666

Fujita, M., Francis, G. L., Duke, J. M., & Raines, A. (2023). College choice among students with disabilities: Decision-making experiences. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Leadership Studies, 4(4),102-123. https://dx.doi.org/10.61186/johepal.4.4.102

Hayes, C., & Francis, G. L. (2023). Making waves: Early childhood teachers’ experiences with multicultural picture books to promote equitable classrooms. Early Childhood Education Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-023-01557-w

Strimel, M. M., Francis, G. L., & Duke, J. M. (2023). Higher education accommodation decision-making and positionality: A survey of disability resource professionals. Journal of Postsecondary Student Success, 3(1), 80-100. https://doi.org/10.33009/fsop_jpss132666

Burke, M., Li, C., Johnston, A., Carter, R. A., Zhang, L., Francis, G. L., & Turnbull, A. P. (2023). Examining Standards Related to Family-Professional Partnerships for Education Professionals. Teacher Education and Special Education. https://doi-org.mutex.gmu.edu/10.1177/0888406423118838

Strimel, M. M., Francis, G. L., & Duke, J. M. (2023). “We’re not gods of accommodations:” Disability resource professionals and accommodation decision-making.” Journal of College Student Development, 53(2), 157-173. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2023.0015

Stanley, J. L., Haynes, R., Francis, G. L., Bilodeau, M. (2023). A Call for Saying “Gay” in Schools. Preventing School Failure, 60, 5076-5087. https://doi-org.mutex.gmu.edu/10.1002/pits.23007

Strimel, M. M., Francis, G. L., & Duke, J. M. (2023). “Understand where you’re coming from:” Positionality and higher education disability resources.” New Directions for Higher Education, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1002/he.20473

Strimel, M. M., Francis, G. L., & Duke, J. M. (2023). Looking at the whole student: Identities and the higher education accommodations process. Journal of College Student Development, 63(6), 695-699. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2022.0056

Raines, A., Francis, G. L., Macedonia, A., & Fugita, M. (2023). Perspectives of belonging from people with disabilities: A scoping review. Psychology in the Schools, 60, 2112-2127. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22864

Francis, G. L., Burke, M., Zhang, L., Carter, R. A., Li, C., & Turnbull, A. P. (2023). Examining the reflection of family-professional partnerships in professional organization standards. The Journal of Special Education, 26-44. https://doi.org/10.1177/00224669231165502

Campus Affiliations

Courses Taught This Semester

Other Courses Taught