Ryan McGill

Profile

Ryan J. McGill, Ph.D., is the Gerdelman Family Distinguished Associate Professor of Education and Associate Professor of School Psychology at William & Mary. His research focuses on psychological and psychoeducational assessment, the structure and interpretation of intelligence tests, evidence-based assessment practices, and the identification of specific learning disabilities. Through his scholarship, Dr. McGill seeks to improve the scientific foundation of school psychological assessment by advancing rigorous psychometric methods and promoting evidence-based decision making in clinical and educational practice. Dr. McGill has authored more than 100 scholarly publications, including peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, books, and invited works. His research has appeared in leading journals across psychology, education, and assessment and has received national recognition for its contributions to the science of cognitive assessment and school psychology.

A licensed school psychologist and behavior analyst, Dr. McGill brings extensive clinical experience to his teaching and research. Before joining the William & Mary faculty in 2016, he served as a practicing school psychologist in California public schools and held faculty appointments at Texas Woman's University and Chapman University. He teaches graduate courses in psychological assessment, research methods, psychometrics, and evidence-based practice while mentoring master's and doctoral students in research and clinical training.

Dr. McGill is actively involved in professional service through editorial leadership, peer review, and national and international professional organizations. His work has been recognized with numerous honors, including election as a Fellow of the American Academy of Assessment Psychology, reflecting his commitment to advancing the science and practice of school psychology through research, teaching, and professional service.

Education

Ph.D. in Education (School Psychology), Chapman University
CAGS in Higher Education Leadership, The Citadel
CAGS in Behavior Analysis, Saint Joseph's University
Ed.S. in School Psychology, La Sierra University
M.A.Ed. in Counseling and Guidance, Point Loma Nazarene University
B.A. in Political Science, Westmont College

Activities and Honors

Editorial Appreciation Award, National Association of School Psychologists (2026)
Elected Fellow, American Academy of Assessment Psychology (2025)
Gerdelman Family Distinguished Associate Professor of Education (2024)
WWC Certified Reviewer, Institute of Education Sciences (2024)
Honorable Mention, Article of the Year, School Psychology Training and Pedagogy (2023)

Selected Publications

McGill, R. J. (2026). Multidimensional scaling of the Cognitive Assessment System-Second Edition: Implications for the structural validity of PASS Theory and its application in school psychology. Psychology in the Schools, 63(4), 856-866. 

McGill, R. J., Canivez, G. L., & Dombrowski, S. C. (2026). Incremental validity of the successive level approach to intelligence test interpretation. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 44(1), 111-126.

Dombrowski, S. C., McGill, R. J., Canivez, G. L., Watkins, M. W., Pritchard, A. E., & Jacobson, L. A. (2025) Conjectures and refutations in cognitive ability structural validity research: Insights from Bayesian structural equation modeling. Journal of School Psychology, 110(101432).

McGill, R. J., & Dombrowski, S. C. (2025). Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition/Normative Update (KABC-II/KABC-II NU): Clinical interpretation from an evidence-based perspective. In G. L. Canivez (Ed.), Assessing psychometric fitness of intelligence tests: Toward evidence-based interpretation practices (pp. 141-156). Rowman & Littlefield.

McGill, R. J., Dombrowski, S. C., & Canivez, G. L. (2025). Beyond primary assessment on the WISC-V: An investigation of the structural validity of the ancillary scores. Psychology in the Schools, 62(7), 2164-2177. 

Dombrowski, S. C., & McGill, R. J. (2024). Clinical assessment in school psychology: Impervious to scientific reform? Canadian Journal of School Psychology, 39(4), 297-306. 

 

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