Department of Child Development, Literacy and Special Education

Christopher L. Van Loan, PhD, is a professor of special education at Appalachian State University, where he directs the graduate program in Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on classroom management, behavior supports, and emotional and behavioral challenges. Dr. Van Loan has over 25 years of experience in education and youth development, beginning as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala, then serving as a health educator, behavior specialist, and special education teacher in therapeutic and public-school settings. His professional focus centers on fostering strong teacher-student relationships, promoting trauma-informed practices, and improving inclusive supports for students with significant behavioral needs.
Dr. Van Loan is an active member of the Council for Exceptional Children and the American Educational Research Association. He has presented nationally and internationally on topics such as restraint reduction, social-emotional learning, and building relationally responsive classrooms. He was honored with the Reich College of Education’s Outstanding Teacher Award in 2018–2019 and has led or co-led several funded projects on crisis de-escalation and social-emotional learning curricula and most recently supporting rural special education teachers.
His published work includes peer-reviewed articles in Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, Intervention in School and Clinic, and Educational Research Review, among others.
Dr. Van Loan holds a PhD and MEd in Special Education from the University of Florida and a BS in Sociology from Florida State University. In his free time, he enjoys being in nature, surfing, and playing music. He is also the lead author of the forthcoming book Tough but Worth It: What We Can Do To Include Students Experiencing Emotional and Behavioral Struggles (Solution Tree, expected 2026).

Dr. Van Loan's Curriculum Vitae