Karen M. La Paro, Ph.D. is an assistant professor in the Department of Human Development
and Family Studies at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. She teaches both graduate
and undergraduate courses in the birth-kindergarten teacher preparation program.  She has
worked with the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child
Care as well as the National Center for Early Development and Learning in developing
observational instruments and training observers and is a co-author of the Classroom
Assessment Scoring System (CLASS).  Her research interests include classroom quality and
professional development.  One of her major areas of research is examining teacher beliefs and
practices of pre-service teachers as they progress through their educational program.  In addition,
she is working with Head Start teachers and public school pre-k teachers to observe their
teaching practices and classroom quality.

Scott-Little, C., La Paro, K.M, & Weisner, A. (in press).  Examining differences in students' beliefs
and attitudes: An important element of performance-based assessment systems for teacher
preparation programs.  Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education.

La Paro, K.M, Rimm-Kaufman, S.E., & Pianta, R.C. (in press). Kindergarten to first grade: 
Classroom characteristics and the stability and change of children's classroom experiences. 
Journal of Research in Childhood Education.

La Paro, K.M., Pianta, R.C., & Stuhlman, M. (2004).  The classroom assessment scoring system:
Findings from the prekindergarten year.  The Elementary School Journal, 104(5), 343-360.