Dr. Sheila Conway is an Associate Professor of Practice in the School of Education, where she has taught, mentored, and led teacher preparation programs since 2001. With more than 30 years in special education, she began her career as a K–12 teacher in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania public schools.
Dr. Conway’s work focuses on addressing the national shortage of special education teachers through three key areas: recruitment, preparation, and retention.
She has redesigned courses using anti-ableist and disability justice frameworks, helping inspire future educators while centering the voices and experiences of individuals with disabilities. Her grant-funded initiatives—supported by federal and state agencies—have strengthened teacher preparation through enhanced clinical experiences, school partnerships, and mentorship programs for novice educators.
At the heart of her teaching is a conviction that becoming an effective special educator requires more than technical knowledge. It requires a fundamental shift in how one sees and values people with disabilities. In Pitt’s teacher certification programs, she creates learning environments where that shift is not just invited but actively structured into the curriculum itself.
Advisor and faculty in the following programs:
- BS in Teacher Education (Special Education, Math Education, Science Education, Social Studies Education, English Education, and World and Heritage Language Education)
- MEd in Special Education PK-12
Courses recently taught:
- Foundations of Special Education
- Instructional Methods for Students with High Incidence Disabilities
- Assessment and Instruction for Students with High Incidence Disabilities
- Student Teaching Seminar
Conway, S.J., Brennan, K. & Scott, P. (2017) A University Response to the Special Education Teacher Shortage: Extending Professional Development from Teacher Preparation into Novice Years. Pennsylvania Teacher Educator Journal pp. 43-53.
Lemons, C.J., Al Otaiba, S., Conway, S.J., & Mellado De La Cruz, V.M. (2016). Improving professional development to enhance reading outcomes for students in special education. New Directions in Child and Adolescent Development.
Conway, S.J. & Smith, P. (2025). Accelerated Program for PK-12 Special Education Teacher Certification Grant, Pennsylvania Department of Education. ($50,000)
Role: Primary Investigator
Conway, S.J. (2024). Developing Future Special Educators Grant, Pennsylvania Department of Education. ($19,985)
Conway, S.J. & Smith, P. (2024). “Examining Schools’ Profile of the Ideal Special Education Teacher Candidate, University of Pittsburgh School of Education Professor of Practice Seed Grant. ($8,600)
Smith, P., Conway, S.J., Robertson, R. (2023). Accelerated Program for PK-12 Special Education Teacher Certification, The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), Bureau of Special Education. ($100,000)
Kostewicz, D.E., Robertson, R. Conway, S.J. & Milner, R. (2017) Urban Special Education Scholars (USES): Leadership in Multi-Tiered Systems of Support in Urban Schools. Office of Special Education Projects, U.S. Department of Education. ($1,500,000). Key Personnel.
Sobolak, M. & Conway, S.J. (2017) Implementing a Video Coaching Platform to Provide E-Mentoring during Teacher Education Clinical Experiences, Innovation in Education Award Grant, University of Pittsburgh ($6,020).
Conway, S.J. & Sobolak, M. (2016) The Racial Gap between Teachers and Students: Parents’ Perspectives, University of Pittsburgh, Office of Diversity ($1,500).
Sobolak, M. & Conway, S.J. (2016) Supporting ALL students: Working effectively with LBGTQIA+ students, University of Pittsburgh, Office of Diversity. ($800).
Lemons, C.J., Conway, S., Srsic, A., Kostewicz, D.E., & Lyon, S. (2012-2016). Restructuring and Improving Special Education (RISE). Office of Special Education Projects, U.S. Department of Education. ($1,494,765). Primary Investigator.
Awards and Honors:
- Dean’s Distinguished Mentoring Award 2024
- Dean’s Distinguished Award “Above and Beyond” 2023
- School of Education Dean’s Distinguished Service Award 2022
- Special Education Research Accelerator Research Partner (2021-ongoing)
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology INSPIRE Fellow (2018-2019)
- University of Pittsburgh Innovations in Education Award (2017)
- University of Pittsburgh Faculty Award for Exemplary Teaching (2014)
Provident Charter Schools – Board of Trustees
Pittsburgh Public School & Kid’s Voice – Advisory Group for Covid Compensatory Services
National Task Force Association for Teacher Educators (ATE) on Addressing the Needs of the School-based Teacher Educator.
Faculty Consultant on IES grant: Project FOCUS – A research study focusing on key factors associated with reading outcomes for students receiving Tier 3, dyslexia services and/or special education reading interventions. (PI – Al Otaiba, 2018)
Faculty Consultant for Vanderbilt University and the OSEP Consortium (http://nclii.org/) to work with doctoral students from various Universities to design a course on Implementing Intensive Interventions. (PI – Lemons – 2018-2019)