Kristen Rolf
Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling
Assistant Professor
Educational Background
Licensures & Certifications
Biography
Dr. Kristen R. Rolf is an assistant professor in the Department of Special Education & Rehabilitation Counseling. She also serves as Director of the department's Online Practical Teacher Training (OPTT) program. Prior to coming to USU as a doctoral student, she was an instructional coach who supported pre- and in-service teachers with their implementation of Direct Instruction programs. Dr. Rolf started her career in education as a K-5 Resource Room teacher.
Teaching Interests
Dr. Rolf currently teaches Foundations in Special Education, Eligibility Assessment, and Foundations in Assessment for OPTT. Her teaching experience includes literacy and mathematics methods courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Research Interests
Dr. Rolf's research focuses on the effective implementation of Explicit Instruction programs in real-world settings (classrooms). She is currently investigating the implementation, effectiveness, and acceptability of an explicit, systematic mathematics vocabulary intervention she co-authored. She also researches the process by which schools and districts select and implement instructional materials. She is an editorial board member of Behavior Analysis in Practice.
Awards
Research Article of the Year, 2023
Rural Special Education Quarterly
Distinguished Scholar, 2021
Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies
Doctoral Student Researcher of the Year, 2019
Department of Special Education & Rehabilitation Counseling, Utah State University
Graduate Student Teacher of the Year, 2018
Department of Special Education & Rehabilitation Counseling, Utah State University
School of Education Distinguished Alumni Award, 2017
University of Washington Tacoma
Publications | Books
- Rolf, K.R, (2018). Direct Instruction Mathematics. Pearson *
- Rolf, K., (2025). Implementing Reading Mastery as a component of tiered literacy instruction: Advances in Learning and Behavioral Disabilities Vol. 34. Emerald Publishing
- Rolf, K.R, (2023). Flexible Grouping: High Leverage Practices for Intensive Interventions. Routledge
- Rolf, K.R, (2023). Use Explicit Instruction: High Leverage Practices for Intensive Interventions. Routledge
- Pinkelman, S.E, Bundock, K., Rolf, K.R, McClain, M., Shahidullah, J., Mezher, K., (2020). Supporting students with Autism Spectrum Disorder in schools through multi-tiered system of supports: Interprofessional Care Coordination for Pediatric Autism Spectrum Disorder. Springer International Publishing
- Rolf, K.R, (2017). Redesigning Special Education Teacher Preparation: Challenges and Solutions. Routledge/Taylor and Francis
- Rolf, K., (2017). Project RTI: Redesigning special education teacher preparation. Routledge
Publications | Book Chapters
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Curriculum
- Rolf, K.R, (2021). Mathematics Vocabulary for Fourth Grade. Author. *
- Rolf, K.R, (2018). Instructor’s Manual for Direct Instruction Mathematics – 5th Edition. Pearson *
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Journal Articles
Academic Journal
- Bundock, K., Callan, G., McClain, M.B, Benney, C., Longhurst, D., Rolf, K., (2025). Teaching constant rate-of-change problem-solving to secondary students with or at risk of Learning Disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 58:3, doi: 10.1177/00222194241254094
- Stein, M., Rolf, K., (2023). The Case for Direct Instruction. Impact, 19, 14-16.
- Rolf, K., (2023). Improving access to general education via co-teaching in secondary mathematics classrooms: An evaluation of Utah’s professional development initiative. . Rural Special Education Quarterly, 42:2, 78-93. doi: 10.1177/87568705231167340
- Pinkelman, S.E, Rolf, K.R, Landon, T.J, Detrich, R., McLaughlin, C., Peterson, A.K, Lizotte, M., (2022). Curriculum adoption in U.S. schools: An exploratory, qualitative analysis. Global Implementation Research and Applications, 2:1, doi: 10.1007/s43477-022-00039-2
- Bundock, K., Callan, G., Longhurst, D., Rolf, K.R, Benney, C., Brunson McClain, M., (2021). Mathematics intervention for college students with learning disabilities: A pilot study targeting rate of change. Insights into Learning Disabilities, 18:1, 1-28.
- Rolf, K.R, Pinkelman, S.E, Bundock, K., (2021). Reviewing tools for evaluating K-12 instructional materials through an implementation lens. Global Implementation Research and Applications, 1:1, doi: 10.1007/s43477-020-00005-w
- Rhine, S., Driskoll, S.S, Rolf, K.R, Bundock, K., Hurdle, Z., (2021). The mathematics digital curriculum boom: How are programs selected?. Curriculum and Teaching Dialogue, 23:2, 213-228.
- Slocum, T.A, Rolf, K.R, (2021). Features of Direct Instruction: Content analysis. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 14:3, doi: 10.1007/s40617-021-00617-0
- Rolf, K.R, Slocum, T.A, (2021). Features of Direct Instruction: Interactive lessons. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 14:3, doi: 10.1007/s40617-021-00613-4
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Technical Reports
Research Reports
- Rolf, K.R, (2020). The adoption of curricula in K-12 schools: An exploratory qualitative analysis. *
- Rolf, K.R, (2019). State department of education support for implementation issues faced by school districts during the curriculum adoption process. *
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Other
Other
- Rolf, K.R, (2022). Investigating the Effectiveness of Explicit, Systematic Mathematics Vocabulary Instruction for Students with Learning Difficulties and Disabilities in a Specialized Setting.
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.