Dore LaForett

Affiliation

Child Trends

Biography

Doré R. LaForett, Ph.D. is a research scholar in the early childhood area at Child Trends. Her work spans the areas of child development and the educational experiences of young children and families; contexts that influence children’s academic and social-emotional development; educational, social-behavioral, and family-focused interventions; and early care and education programs. Dr. LaForett has extensive experience conducting research with low-income populations and with culturally and linguistically diverse children and families, with a heavy emphasis on children who are dual language learners. She recent was principal investigator (PI) of a study funded by the Institute of Education Sciences in the U.S. Department of Education which examines associations between language of instruction and K-3rd grade students’ academic outcomes in Spanish-English dual language educational settings. Dr. LaForett is a licensed psychologist in the state of North Carolina, and is an associate editor for the Journal of Early Intervention. She is the Chair of the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) Latinx Caucus. Through her research, clinical work, and service to the field and broader community, she is committed to advancing the well-being of children and families though scientific knowledge that is ecologically valid, developmentally focused, and aligned with a racial equity approach.