Rebekka Jez

Dr. Jez has taught in urban special education classrooms for over 14 years, given professional development seminars around the globe, and taught classes at various universities. Furthermore, Rebekka completed a Distinguished Fulbright in Teaching in Johannesburg, South Africa where she trained professors, faculty, preservice teachers, and educators in township schools how to implement culturally responsive inclusive practices to support all learners within their classes. Additionally, she has authored chapters on culturally responsive postsecondary transition for culturally and linguistically diverse students with exceptional needs and culturally responsive supports for literacy development. Rebekka continues to speak at national and international conferences about collaborative processes, positive behavior interventions and supports, postsecondary transition, literacy supports, and effective teacher training and support practices.

She serves on the Board of Directors for the Division of International Special Education and Services, Balang Foundation (South African Literacy Non-Profit Organisation), and Nativity Preparatory School. Dr. Jez is also the Director of the Academy of Catholic Teaching (ACT) program, which is part of the University Consortium of Catholic Education (UCCE). In this role she works in partnership with the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego in training and supporting candidates in service through teaching, living in community, and spirituality while working as K-12 Catholic school educators. She is a co-editor of Teacher Education Quarterly.  Dr. Jez represents USD as an invited member of the national Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform (CEEDAR).

2018-2019: SOLES Faculty Member of the Year (Awarded-Nominated by Students) 2023: USD Diversity and Inclusion Impact Award (Awarded- Nominated by a Student, Colleague, & DLT Chair)

Jez, R. J. (2024). Culturally responsive and sustaining transition for at-promise youth.  Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals. 47(1) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/21651434241235886

Jez, R. J. (2023), Special Education Services and CRT: Dismantling the Singular Identity and Honoring Intersectionality. Lalas, J.W. and Strikwerda, H.L. (Ed.) Contextualizing Critical Race Theory on Inclusive Education From a Scholar-Practitioner Perspective (International Perspectives on Inclusive Education, Vol. 22), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 113-139. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-363620230000022007 

Landmark, L. J., & Jez, R. J. (2023). Culturally Sustaining UDT: Individualized Education Planning. Scott, L., & Thoma, C. (2023). Universal Design for Transition (2nd ed., pp. 184-210). Paul H Brookes Publishing Co, Inc. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781681256030

Jez, R. J., Dennis, C., Coleman, M., Conradie, C., Matyaleni, A., Ramirez, D., Rezandt, C., Wilkins, K., & Herndon, C. (2023). Changemakers share their why, collaborate as critical friends, and highlight leadership skills. African Journal of Teacher Education and Development, 2(1), 10 pages. doi:https://doi.org/10.4102/ajoted.v2i1.15

Sinclair, J., Jez, R. J., Banks, J., & Kucharczyk, S. (2023). Building equity into transition practice and service delivery: A call for systemic changes in the field of transition. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals. 46(4) 223-236. https://doi.org/10.1177/21651434231183415

Jez, R. J., Osborne, K. M., & Hauth, C. M. (2022). Educators coming together to empower learners, families, and teachers to develop culturally sustainable transition planning tool during COVID-19. In Meda, L. & Chitiyo, J. (Eds.), Inclusive Pedagogical Practices Amidst a Global Pandemic: Issues and Perspectives Around the Globe (pp. 241-262). Springer.

Jez, R. J, Hauth, C., & Ramers, L. (2022). Transforming educators in the United States and South Africa: An international collaboration to enhance culturally responsive inclusive practices. Journal of International Special Needs Education 24(2), 1-12. doi: https://doi.org/10.9782/JISNE-D-20-00009 ISSN: 2159-4341 eISSN: 2331-4001

Meda, L., Jez, R. J., & Mosito, C. P. (2022). Towards a responsive community engagement: Reflections of key stakeholders. In Van Eeden E., Eloff I., & Dippenaar H. (Eds.), Community engagement research in South Africa: Histories, methods, theories, and practice (pp. 475-488). Van Schaik Publishing. ISBN: 9780627037931 ePub ISBN: 9780627037948

Jez, R. J., Cantillon, J. C., Ramers, L. H., & Burgess, M. M. (2021). As Catholic schools become more diverse, how should we prepare new Catholic school educators for inclusive schools? An analysis of research on university and diocesan teacher training. Journal of Catholic Education, 24 (2) 84-103. https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2275&context=ce

Jez, R. J. (2020, September 28). Evidence-based practices for teaching learners with mild to moderate disabilities. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education. Oxford University Press. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190264093.013.1263

Jez, R. J. & Luneta, K. (2018). Effective teacher training on inclusive practices: Using needs and 

interests to design professional development and follow-up support in South Africa. Asian 

Journal of Inclusive Education 6(1), 21-47. https://doi.org/10.59595/ajie.06.1.3 

Jez, R. J. (2018). Inspiring literacy from a global perspective: How to use culturally responsive and inclusive instruction to increase literacy for all learners. In Makalela, L. (Ed.), Shifting Lenses: Multilanguaging, Decolonization, and Education in the Global South (pp. 99-118). Cape Town, South Africa: The Centre for Advanced Studies of African Society (CASAS).

Dr. Jez’s research is focused on guiding and supporting educators, families, and community members in successfully collaborating with students who benefit from additional support due to differing abilities, multilingualism, traumatic experiences, and socio-economic challenges around the world using culturally responsive and sustaining inclusive practices around healing. Rebekka has presented at national and international conferences about collaborative processes, positive behavior interventions and supports, postsecondary transition, literacy supports, and effective teacher training and support practices for the last two decades.