Cara Cahalan-Laitusis

Cara Cahalan-Laitusis is a research scientist in ETS Research and Development. She received a Ph.D. in school psychology from Fordham University.

Before coming to ETS, Cahalan-Laitusis was a school psychologist in the Stamford, Connecticut, public schools where she worked with a diverse student population ranging from prekindergarten to high school. Her applied specializations are in curriculum-based assessment and the diagnosis and treatment of students with learning disabilities. From 1994–2000, she was a research consultant on educational projects sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development and has worked in Malawi and Ghana on improving education quality (IEQ).

Since coming to ETS in 1998, Cahalan-Laitusis has been involved in research on validity and fairness, including examining the impact of testing accommodations on test score validity, differential item functioning for students with disabilities and English language learners, gender differences in mathematical problem-solving and differential performance (by gender, race and language groups) on paper-based and computer-based test formats. Currently, she is working on several projects, including a research agenda for test takers with disabilities and research on the validity of testing accommodations for students with disabilities. At ETS, her primary research responsibilities include research design, data analysis, report writing and presentation of research.