Honoring the Legacy of Lynn S. Fuchs

The field lost a pioneer with the passing of Dr. Lynn S. Fuchs on May 7, 2025.

Dr. Lynn S. Fuchs was one of the most respected and widely cited education researchers of our time. Her work transformed how we understand and support students with learning disabilities, and her immense body of work continues to shape classrooms, policies, and research across the country.

Throughout her extraordinary career, Lynn dedicated herself to improving teaching, learning, and assessment for all students, especially those with and at risk for learning disabilities. Her groundbreaking research in mathematics, reading, and multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) redefined how schools meet the needs of struggling learners and helped build a more equitable foundation for education.

At NCLD, we were privileged to have had Lynn on our Professional Advisory Board. She generously shared her expertise to help us advocate for research-validated practices that put students with disabilities at the center. Even after her formal tenure on the board ended, she remained a trusted mentor and advisor—someone we turned to often, and who always answered with clarity, humility, and heart. Her influence on our work and us personally was profound.

Lynn’s legacy is unmatched, not just for her research but also for the generations of educators, researchers, and students she mentored and inspired. The ripple effects of her contributions will be felt for decades to come.

We extend our deepest condolences to her family, especially her husband and research partner, Dr. Doug Fuchs, as well as to her many colleagues, students, and friends.

Thank you, Lynn, for your brilliance, service, and unwavering belief in what students with learning disabilities can achieve. Your legacy lives on in our work, in our hearts, and in every child whose path you helped illuminate.