Sarah Benz

Dr. Benz has extensive experience in providing technical assistance and consultation to state education agencies and districts. She specializes in systems change efforts to improve outcomes for students with disabilities through innovative solutions, local implementation, and bridging research to practice.

Across her career, Dr. Benz has led large-scale statewide initiatives, district improvement efforts, and national technical assistance activities focused on significant disproportionality, multi-tiered systems of support, and supporting students with disabilities. She has overseen multimillion-dollar portfolios, managed cross-functional teams, and guided clients through the design and implementation of evidence-aligned frameworks and diagnostics. Her work consistently emphasizes capacity building, sustainable systems change, and data-driven decision-making.

Prior to joining AIR, Dr. Benz spent many years in schools as a special education teacher, coordinator, and district-level administrator. She has taught students with disabilities across grade levels, coached teachers, and led special education departments through audits, compliance processes, and program improvement. This school-embedded experience grounds her approach in practical realities and ensures that solutions meaningfully support educators and students.