David Liebowitz is an Assistant Professor of Education Policy and Leadership (EPoL) at the University of Oregon College of Education
Tell us about your research areas?
My research documents the challenges facing schools and their leaders. My work attempts to generate strategies to improve leadership and organizational practices, particularly in schools serving low-income students. My research areas include but are not limited to: education policy analysis, educational inequality, school leadership, teacher evaluation, and school improvement.
What questions, ideas, or values are at the heart of your research agenda?
I am a former middle-school teacher and principal, and have served as a policy advisor to the New York State Commissioner of Education, the Massachusetts Secretary of Education and internationally with the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD). My experiences in school leadership and policy implementation ground my research interests. I study the challenges facing schools with concentrations of traditionally under-served students and effective leadership strategies to address these challenges. My work has been published in leading educational journals including the Review of Educational Research, the American Educational Research Journal and Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis and has been featured in such media outlets as The New York Times, Education Week and Chalkbeat.
What are some of the classes you most enjoy teaching in the EPoL program?
I most enjoy teaching EDLD 632 – Educational Policy Analysis. It’s a great opportunity to think about helpful frameworks for policy analysis and to be in community with students as they grapple with and consider tradeoffs in how to address the pressing issues facing schools. We’ve been lucky to have educational leaders visit our class, ranging from Executive Directors of non-profits, to Assistant Superintendents of state education agencies, to Senior Analysts at global education initiative foundations. Students love learning about the application of theory and research to policy and practice!
What do you enjoy/appreciate/get excited about re: EPoL?
I am most excited about gathering together a cohort of folks committed to being advocates for more equitable and just education systems for an intensive year of study. I hope that our students will build skills and connections that will serve them as they become leaders around the state, the region and the world.