Her research focuses on individual differences in the development of literacy skills, with an emphasis on three themes: (1) children’s literacy development in the context of schools and families, (2) the long-term consequences of language impairment on emergent literacy skills, and (3) implementing and evaluating intervention programs that advance instructional techniques and educational opportunities for children at risk for reading difficulties. She is also the Director of Research for the Child Development Laboratories at MSU where she currently manages participant recruitment and data collection for the 200 children and families attending the labs at this time. Skibbe’s work has been funded by the Association for Children & Families and was awarded the 2004 Editor’s Award from the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology.