Jarice Butterfield, PhD, received her doctorate degree from the University of California Santa Barbara in Education Leadership & Organizations with an emphasis in Special Education and School Psychology. She also has a Masters Degree in Special Education from California State University Northridge and a Masters Degree from University of California Santa Barbara in Education Leadership & Organizations. She completed her Bachelor Degree at the University of Wyoming in Elementary and Special Education. She has a multiple subject and Ed Specialist Credential (LH and prior SH), as well as an Authorization in Traumatic Brain Injury. She also has a Language Development and Resource specialist Certificate.

Jarice has worked as a special educator and administrator in many capacities and at all grade levels and currently serves as the Santa Barbara County SELPA Director. She has vast training and experience in special education, traumatic brain injury, and English language development. She has written several grants to fund and implement model English language development programs for parents and students incorporating technology-assisted instruction, as well as mental health programs for students. She provides staff development nationally and in the state of California on meeting the needs of English learners with disabilities and Traumatic Brain Injury. She drafted the handbook titled Meeting the Needs of English Learners with Disabilities and “Linguistically Appropriate IEP Goal Bank” for the State SELPA Directors’ Association and SEIS.

She also co-authored the the LRP book titled English Language Learners With Disabilities: A Guide for Education Administrators. Jarice currently serves as the Chair Person to the State SELPA Directors’ Association Ad Hoc English Learner Committee and liaison to the CDE English Language Learner Division.