Emily Solari

Emily Solari is the Edmund H. Henderson Professor of Education at the University of Virginia's School of Education and Human Development. Her research focuses on early reading development, assessment, and instruction, with a particular emphasis on developing and testing interventions for students at risk for reading difficulties, including those with autism spectrum disorder and English language learners and dyslexia.

Dr. Solari is the director of Virginia Literacy Partnerships (VLP), an initiative dedicated to providing evidence-based literacy screening, instruction, and intervention for all children in the Commonwealth and beyond. She has been instrumental in shaping the Virginia Literacy Act, a landmark piece of legislation aimed at improving literacy outcomes for young learners across the Commonwealth.

She is the principal investigator on several Institute of Education Sciences funded research grants, including studies on the efficacy of the Read Well program and interventions for students with reading difficulties. She is currently the PI on the NIH funded Learning Disabilities Research Center and a postdoctoral training grant funded by the Office of Special Education Programs.

Dr. Solari earned her Ph.D. in Special Education, Disabilities, and Risk Studies with an emphasis in Human Development from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She is recognized for her commitment to translating scientific research into practical strategies for educators and policymakers, aiming to ensure that all children have access to high-quality literacy instruction.

Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara, 2007
M.A., University of California, Santa Barbara, 2004