Martha Cocchiarella

Martha A. Cocchiarella is a clinical assistant professor in special education and a manager in the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College's Office of Research Advancement. She earned her doctorate in special education from Arizona State University.

Professor Cocchiarella taught general education in the Glendale school district in Glendale, AZ and special education in the Tempe Elementary school district in Tempe, AZ. Her scholarly interests are as follows: teacher preparation, mentoring/induction programs for pre-service teachers, and the impact of classroom climate on student achievement and teacher effectiveness. Professor Cocchiarella is currently participating in a funded project focusing on preparing pre-service teachers to be actively embedded in their students' communities. She is a Co-PI of a project produced in partnership between MLFTC iTeachAZ site in The Gila Valley and Eastern Arizona College. The program intends to attract and prepare teachers to specialize in high-needs secondary subject areas such as science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in The Gila Valley. Professor Cocchiarella has presented at local (AZ Council for Exceptional Children), national (TECBD, AACTE, TED, and Council for Exceptional Children) and international (IASE) conferences. She provides post-award support to PIs and their project directors in her role as a manager for the MLFTC Office of Research Advancement.