Dr. Sara Kangas is an associate professor in the College of Education at Lehigh University and a nationally recognized expert on the school-age population of multilingual learners (MLs) with disabilities. As an interdisciplinary scholar, Dr. Kangas bridges the fields of applied linguistics, special education, and educational policy to examine the educational opportunities and rights of MLs with disabilities. Trained in ethnography, her research investigates how education policies, school structures, and ideologies affect the everyday learning experiences of these students. Committed to improving K–12 education, Dr. Kangas frequently collaborates with state education agencies to enhance policies for MLs with disabilities and to strengthen professional learning for their teachers.
Dr. Kangas has published in top-tier journals, such as the American Educational Research Journal, Educational Researcher, and TESOL Quarterly. Her research has been funded by the Spencer Foundation and has received prestigious awards, including the James E. Alatis Prize (2018), Libsch Early Career Award (2025), and the Mid-Career Award from the Second Language Research SIG of AERA (2026). Dr. Kangas is the author of the recent book, Promoting Equity for Multilingual Learners with Disabilities (Teachers College Press, 2025). Dr. Kangas earned her Ph.D. in Education with a concentration in applied linguistics at Temple University.
Dr. Kangas has published in top-tier journals, such as the American Educational Research Journal, Educational Researcher, and TESOL Quarterly. Her research has been funded by the Spencer Foundation and has received prestigious awards, including the James E. Alatis Prize (2018), Libsch Early Career Award (2025), and the Mid-Career Award from the Second Language Research SIG of AERA (2026). Dr. Kangas is the author of the recent book, Promoting Equity for Multilingual Learners with Disabilities (Teachers College Press, 2025). Dr. Kangas earned her Ph.D. in Education with a concentration in applied linguistics at Temple University.