Veteran PreK-12 Safety & Standards of Care Expert

Specialties & Experience of this Expert Witness

Additional Information

Dr. Saralyn Grass is a nationally recognized expert in school and child care policy, educational settings, early learning standards and child safety in youth-serving programs. With over two decades of experience in overseeing, developing and evaluating educational systems she brings a unique combination of high-level policy knowledge and real-world operational insight.  Dr. Grass has served in leadership roles at both the state and municipal levels. She has written administrative rules governing early learning programs, advised on child care legislation and led statewide initiatives focused on improving outcomes for children and families. Her work includes drafting and enforcing provider standards related to supervision, mandated reporting, injury documentation and environmental safety. As a leader in program oversight, she has directed teams responsible for reviewing provider compliance, conducting incident reviews and developing corrective-action plans. She works closely with legal counsel, state licensing entities, early learning and public school providers to ensure that systems of care are both safe and accountable. Her expertise includes the evaluation of organizational negligence, staff conduct and adherence to licensing regulations and internal policies. In addition to her policy and oversight work, Dr. Grass is an experienced Guardian ad Litem. In this volunteer role, she has represented the best interests of children involved in dependency cases, conducted home and case file reviews and made formal recommendations to the court regarding child safety and placement. This work has deepened her understanding of how complex systems can either protect or fail vulnerable children. Dr. Grass holds a doctorate in Educational Policy and Program Evaluation. She also teaches graduate-level courses in early childhood education, education and administration and educational policy - preparing future leaders in the field. Her academic background supports her ability to assess provider behavior through a research-informed lens and provides her findings clearly in both written reports and testimony. She has been engaged as an expert in cases involving alleged negligence in supervision, alleged child abuse and/or failure to report suspected child abuse and injury resulting from unsafe program environments. Her reviews include comparisons of staff conduct against applicable licensing regulations, provider policies, national best practices and the expected standard of care. Dr. Grass is also an adoptive parent and brings personal insight into the importance of high-quality care during a child's most vulnerable years. Her passion for protecting children, combined with her deep knowledge of child care systems makes her a trusted resource in cases involving child safety, mandated reporting, Pre-K through 12 education and institutional responsibility.