Andrew Bruce

Courses Taught

• Director of LibertyLIFE
• Subject Matter Expert for EDSP 724: Collaboration and Communication in Special Education

Professional Memberships

• Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)

Biography

Dr. Andrew Bruce joined Liberty University in the summer of 2026 to launch the LibertyLIFE program, bringing 20 years of special education expertise. He began his career teaching high school math and transition planning at Heritage High School in Lynchburg, VA. He then earned his Ph.D. in Special Education from the University of Virginia, focusing on math intervention and behavioral support. Dr. Bruce spent the next 11 years as a professor and department chair at the University of Lynchburg, where he served as principal investigator for a $1.4 million National Science Foundation grant focused on equipping science and math teachers to work with students who have disabilities. His community leadership includes co-developing a certified transition specialist endorsement, serving on the Central Virginia Transition Council, and advising multiple local school divisions on special education.

Grants

• Jablonski, A.B., Bruce, A., Lokar, W., & McDermott, S. (2019-2025). Preparing Secondary STEM Teachers for Success in Teaching Students with Disabilities and from Diverse Backgrounds. Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, National Science Foundation ($1,446,533 total, $1,221,518 specifically for UL). Award no: 1852670. Co PI: 2019-2023, PI 2024-2025
• Gilbert, S., Bruce. A. (2007-present). Virginia Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Consortium Continuation Grant. $68,000 per year funding for recruitment and training of early childhood special education teachers. Co PI: 2022-2026

Published Articles/Chapters

• Polloway, E., & Bruce. A. (2019). Mathematics instruction. In . E.A. Polloway, J.R. Patton, L. Serna, & J.W. Bailey (Eds.). Strategies for Teaching Learners with Special Needs: 11th ed.
• Kennedy, M., Hirsch, S.E., Rodgers, W.J., Bruce, A.A., & Lloyd, J.W. (2017). Supporting high school teachers’ implementation of evidence-based classroom management practices. Teaching and Teacher Education, 63, 47-57
• Polloway, E., & Bruce. A. (2016). Mathematics instruction. In . E.A. Polloway, J.R. Patton, L. Serna, & J.W. Bailey (Eds.). Strategies for Teaching Learners with Special Needs: 10th ed.
• Kauffman, J. M., Bruce, A., & Lloyd, J. W. (2012). Response to intervention (RTI) and students with emotional and behavioral disorders. In J. P. Bakken, F. E. Obiakor, & A. F. Rotatori (Eds.), Advances in Special Education: Vol. 23. Behavioral disorders: Practice concerns and students with EBD (pp. 107-128). doi:10.1108/S0270-4013(2012)0000023009
• Bruce, A., Lloyd, J. W., & Kennedy, M. J. (2012). Targets of self-monitoring: Productivity, accuracy, and attention. In B. G. Cook, M. Tankersley, & T. J. Landrum (Eds.), Advances in Learning and Behavioral Disabilities: Vol. 25. Classroom behavior, contexts, and interventions (pp. 1-21) doi.org/10.1108/S0735-004X(2012)0000025004

Peer-Reviewed Conference Presentations

• Spaulding, L., Dunn, R., & Bruce, A. (2026). The Lived Experience of Teacher Assistants Transitioning into Special Education Teachers: A Phenomenology. (Poster presented, 2026 CEC annual conference, Salt Lake City)
• Bruce, A. Jablonski, A, & Perault, D. (2022). Preparing Secondary STEM Teachers for Success in Teaching Students with Disabilities. (Poster Presentation, 2022 Noyce Summit) Washington D.C.
• Jablonski, A, Lokar, W., Bruce, A.  (2019, July). Preparing Secondary STEM Teachers for Success with Students with Disabilities and Students from Diverse Backgrounds.  (Poster Presentation, 2019 Noyce Summit)
• Hirsch, S.E., Bruce, A., & Lloyd, J.W. (2016). Understanding the role of social validity in Tier II interventions. Paper presented at the Annual Teacher Education of Children With Behavioral Disorders conference, Tempe, Arizona.
• Bruce, A., Kennedy, M. J., & Lloyd, J. W. (2013, April). Using locally produced video to improve classroom management skills. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Council for Exceptional Children, San Antonio, Texas.
• Lloyd, J. W., Kennedy, M. J., & Bruce, A. (2013, February). Using locally produced video to improve classroom management skills. Poster presented at the Pacific Coast Research Conference, San Diego, California.
• Hirsch, S. E., & Bruce, A. (2013). The reporting of social validity in interventions serving students with or at-risk for emotional and behavioral disorders from 1996 through 2012. Poster presented at the Council for Children with Behavior Disorders Research Conference, Chicago, Illinois

Research Interests

• Behavior management
• Effective instruction for students with disabilities
• Transition planning
• Mathematics difficulties for students with disabilities