Dr. Mariya T. Davis, associate professor of special education, has been elected to serve as president-elect of the Council for Educational Diagnostic Services (CEDS). The internationally renowned organization helps ensure that children and youth with special needs are valued and participating members of society.
CEDS is a division of the Arlington, Virginia-based Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), the largest international organization dedicated to improving the success of children and youth with disabilities. Both organizations work in tandem to help advocate for governmental policies, set professional standards, and provide professional development.
“The CEC is the most reputable professional organization in the field of special education,” said Davis.
Davis has been a long-time CEC volunteer and is involved in the work of several of its divisions. As the CEDS president-elect, Davis's duties include developing programs and serving on advisory committees for the CEC Annual Convention. She will also chair the CEDS conference.
“I was nominated for this position, and I’m really looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and working with my colleagues,” she said. “We have a tight community of assessment professionals.”
A former high school science teacher, special education teacher and educational diagnostician, Davis said she’s particularly excited about her new role, as career and life development for individuals with special needs has long been her passion.
“It is such an honor to have Dr. Davis highlighted in the Council for Exceptional Children,” said Dr. Emma Savage-Davis, dean of the College of Education and Human Development. “It brings attention to how her life’s work in the field of special education has been impactful within our college community but also beyond the walls of our University. Dr. Davis is a forward thinker and innovator who is always finding ways to bring voice to the voiceless and to provide a platform to empower others.”
In addition to her role as associate professor, Davis is also the principal investigator for A&M-San Antonio’s Transition University for Career Advancement and Successful Adulthood (TU CASA) program. The program enables students with intellectual disabilities to receive a university experience while gaining the skills and knowledge needed to transition to independent adult lives.
TU CASA was funded by a $2.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The program started in the spring of 2021 with a cohort of five students. Each cohort goes through an 18-month program, during which they have access to all university services and support.
She was recently accepted as a fellow for the 2025 Comprehensive Program for Adaptive Interventions Training in Education (CATIE). Funded by the Institute of Education Sciences, CATIE is a comprehensive training program for scholars in the education sciences who are interested in constructing interventions that support the needs of students or education organizations. She will travel to Ann Arbor, Michigan, in February for the four-day training program.