Dr. José Palma is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Teaching, Learning, and Culture (TLAC). Dr. Palma’s research aims to improve teaching and learning by developing effective and responsive measurement tools and assessment practices concerning students from diverse, vulnerable, and underrepresented (DVU) backgrounds, particularly in early education. His research centers around three complementary areas: a) enhancing accessibility and utility in item and test design, b) improving psychometric methods to support test score use and interpretations, and c) applying effective assessment practices to serve students from DVU groups.

Dr. Palma received his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology – Quantitative Methods in Education from the University of Minnesota in 2021, and before his graduate education, he worked as a high school English language learner educator. He is a first-generation college graduate and a native Spanish speaker. Dr. Palma actively collaborates with teachers, school districts, testing companies, and other stakeholders on interdisciplinary projects examining best assessment practices for multicultural and multilingual learners in early education, STEM education, and classroom assessment.