James Ysseldyke, Ph.D., is Emma Birkmaier Professor of Educational Leadership in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Minnesota. He has been educating school psychologists and researchers for more than 35 years. Ysseldyke has served the University of Minnesota as director of the Minnesota Institute for Research on Learning Disabilities, director of the National School Psychology Network, director of the National Center on Educational Outcomes, director of the School Psychology Program, and associate dean for research.

Ysseldyke's research and writing have focused on enhancing the competence of individual students and enhancing the capacity of systems to meet student’s needs. He is an author of major textbooks and more than 300 journal articles. Ysseldyke is conducting a set of investigations on the use of technology-enhanced progress-monitoring systems to track the performance and progress of students in urban environments. Ysseldyke chaired the task forces that produced the three Blueprints on the Future of Training and Practice in School Psychology, and he is former editor of Exceptional Children, the flagship journal of the Council for Exceptional Children.

Ysseldyke has received awards for his research from the School Psychology Division of the American Psychological Association, the American Educational Research Association, and the Council for Exceptional Children. The University of Minnesota presented him a distinguished teaching award, and he received a distinguished alumni award from the University of Illinois.

Consulted on Response to Intervention, STAR Enterprise