Sarah Arden

Sarah V. Arden serves as the project director for the National Center on Intensive Intervention and as director of MTSS Strategy and Policy. In her role, Dr. Arden leads and advises on national, state, and locally funded projects focused on implementation of Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) and data-based individualization. 

Prior to joining AIR, Dr. Arden was an Office of Special Education Fellowship Scholar at the University of Texas at Austin, where she earned her Ph.D. and supported large-scale randomized control trials investigating mechanisms to increase academic outcomes and improve the school experience for students with disabilities. 

Her previous work experience includes a role at the California Department of Education as an educational diagnostician, as an elementary resource specialist in K-6th grade in the Clovis Unified School District in Central California, and as an adjunct professor in the special education department at the Kremen School of Education at California State University, Fresno. She has presented at many national and international conferences and published various book chapters and peer-reviewed articles focused on high quality IEPs, special education services, RTI/MTSS of support, systems change and alignment, and improving outcomes for students with disabilities.