In Memoriam: James M. Kauffman

Photo: James Kauffman at a UVA School of Education and Human Development event in 2013.

University of Virginia School of Education and Human Development Professor Emeritus James “Jimmy” Kauffman died on September 25, 2024. He was 83.

A scholar of special education, Kauffman served on the faculty at UVA from 1970 until his retirement in 2003. A pioneer in the field of special education, Kauffman spent his career advocating for students with disabilities. He published numerous articles, papers, books and book chapters, while also working to translate research for educators, practitioners, and policy makers.

Among his most impactful works are Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education and Handbook of Special Education and The Handbook of Special Education, both of which he co-authored with longtime colleague School of Education Professor Emeritus Dan Hallahan and, on later editions, with former UVA faculty member Paige C. Pullen.

According to Hallahan, Kauffman’s influence on special education “is immeasurable.”

“Jim Kauffman was not only a brilliant scholar but also a dear friend and steadfast colleague,” Hallahan said. “He challenged us to think critically, to demand evidence, and to always put the needs of students first. He had the rare ability to cut through ideological noise with logic and clarity, never shying away from difficult conversations if it meant improving the lives of students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Jimmy’s passion for rigorous research was matched only by his deep commitment to the people in his life—his students, his colleagues, his friends, and his family."

For current special education professor Michael Kennedy, Kauffman’s impact began the day Kennedy graduated with his Ph.D. from the University of Kansas in 2011. Kauffman, who earned his Ed.D. there in 1969, was receiving the Distinguished Alumni Award the same day.

“It was an honor to share the stage with Professor Kauffman that day, but the larger and more significant honor is following in his footsteps as a researcher and teacher educator at UVA,” Kennedy said. “The reputation and tradition of excellence at UVA my colleagues and I enjoy are thanks to the standard set by Professor Kauffman and his contemporaries.  Professor Kauffman was in many ways larger than life, and his legendary viewpoints and research without question transcend his passing and will influence scholars, family members, and students with disabilities for generations to come.”

In the remembrance of Kauffman that his colleague Professor Emeritus John Wills Lloyd authored on his blog, Special Education Today, he closed with these words: “I have known many prominent special educators, and when I think about their compassionate, dedicated, persistent, and intellectually honest efforts to help kids with disabilities, their families, and educators, Jim has few peers and even fewer—if any—superiors.”

More about Kauffman’s scholarship can be found on https://www.jamesmkauffman.com and https://jmk9t.com.