Active Projects

Math Learning Disabilities among Young Adults in College: Structure, Identification, and Validation

1760760 (NSF)  P.T. Cirino (PI)  09/01/18-07/31/22, $2.5M

The goals of this project are to better understand what it means to have a math learning disability (MLD) at the college level. The project is in partnership with Houston Community College, and is focused on identifying how cognitive, social, educational, and other individual difference factors impact math performance in MLD, how to identify those most likely to have MLD, and used physiological measurement to validate that classification.

The Texas Center for Learning Disabilities

P50 HD052117-01 (NICHD, NIH)   J.M. Fletcher (PI)     10/01/17-09/30/22, $8.5M

This is a competing continuation of a Center project with major goals to better understand reading comprehension, involving projects of measurement/classification, attention, intervention, neuroimaging, and epigenetics. Dr. Cirino is the PI of Project 2, “Attention and Attentional Processes in Reading and Reading Difficulty”. This project is also focused on English language learners, and comorbidity amongst reading, math, and attention.

Completed Grants

Arithmetical and Cognitive Antecedents and Concomitants of Algebraic Skill

R305A110067 (IES)    P.T. Cirino (PI)   08/15/11-08/14/15

The major goal of this project is to examine factors relevant for procedural skill and conceptual algebraic knowledge in middle and high school. The study aims to differentiate procedural and conceptual competency for algebraic knowledge experimentally, predictively, and concurrently. This study includes measures of working memory, language, and numerosity as predictors. Dr. Cirino is the PI, with Co-PIs Dr. Tammy Tolar at the University of Houston, and Dr. Lynn Fuchs at Vanderbilt University. Read more.

The Texas Center for Learning Disabilities

P50 HD052117-01 (NICHD, NIH)   J.M. Fletcher (PI)   11/01/06-10/31/11

This is a competing continuation of a Center project with major goals to better understand reading comprehension, involving projects of measurement/classification, executive function, intervention, and neuroimaging. Dr. Cirino is the PI of Project 2, “Developing a Framework for Executive Functions in the Context of Reading Comprehension Skills and Difficulties”. Read a news story about this project.

Calculations, Word Problems, and Algebraic Cognition

R01 HD059179-01 (NICHD, NIH)    L.S. Fuchs (PI)   12/01/08-11/30/13

The major goal of this project is to ascertain the uniqueness and overlap of cognitive profiles of 2nd grade students who struggle in computations, in word problems, or in both, within a response to intervention (RTI) context. Dr. Cirino serves as a co-investigator, focused on methodology and statistics. Read more about this project.

Conceptual Precursors of Mathematical and Reading Outcomes

R03 HD050422-01A2 (NICHD, NIH)  P.T. Cirino (PI)   02/01/07-01/31/10

The major goal of this project is to ascertain the set of underlying cognitive precursors that best predict outcomes in mathematics and reading, and the degree of specificity of these precursors and outcomes. Dr. Cirino served as PI.

Spina Bifida: Cognitive and Neurobiological Variability

P01 HD035946-06A2 (NICHD, NIH)   J.M. Fletcher (PI)   02/01/05-01/31/10

The major goal of this competing continuation program project is to identify genetic, CNS, and environmental sources of variability that explain the variations in neurobehavioral outcomes associated with spina bifida meningomyelocele (SB). Dr. Cirino served as a co-investigator within Core C (Database and Statistics).