Laura Straus specializes in literacy education, with emphases on reading engagement, motivation to read, and the acquisition of foundational skills. Straus is active in several state and national level literacy education professional organizations. She has presented at a wide range of literacy and teacher preparation conferences. Her interest in authentic assessment, experiential learning, and accreditation has been the focus of much of her service and leadership work on the campus of Montana Western. Straus has served as an education department chair and as the Education Division Chair. She also served as the Accreditation Officer for the division’s successful reaccreditation with the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). She loves to read and write, and teaching students about children’s and young adult literature is one of her favorite pursuits.
