Marianne Rice is an assistant professor of literacy education in the Department of Theory and Practice in Teacher Education at the University of Tennessee and a faculty fellow of the Tennessee Reading Research Center (TRCC).

Her research interests include evidence-based early literacy instruction, early identification of students at-risk for reading difficulties, and effectively supporting teacher knowledge and practice in early literacy instruction and intervention. Rice has authored several peer-reviewed journal articles related to literacy education which have been featured in journals like Reading Research Quarterly, Journal of Educational Psychology, School Psychology, and The Reading Teacher. She earned her Ph.D. in educational psychology and special education from Texas A&M University, as well as earning am M.Ed. in language and literacy studies from the University of Texas at Austin and a B.S. in early childhood education and child development from Vanderbilt University. She spent over 10 years teaching kindergarten and first grade as well as working as a reading specialist in public education prior to moving into higher education.