Education

Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara

Biography

Barbara DeHart serves as professor in the School of Educational Studies. Dr. DeHart is the 2010 recipient of the Effie H. Jones Humanitarian Award given annually by the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) for her work in social justice in education and her mentoring & coaching of women and minorities. Dr. DeHart's research and instruction focus on areas of educational leadership; organizational theory; educational politics, policy and governance (at the macro and micro levels); curriculum, instruction and assessment; and cultural and socioeconomic diversity.

Before joining the SES faculty in 2005, Dr. DeHart served public education for thirty-three years, most recently as the Superintendent of Schools in Westminster School District, Orange County, California. She was named Orange County's "Superintendent of the Year" in 2003. Dr. DeHart has been a lecturer at California State University, Long Beach, as well as at the University of California, Irvine. She continues to present workshops and seminars on Educational Leadership throughout the State of California. She has earned recognition and honors in the field of curriculum design and instructional practices that ensure educational excellence and equity for all students.

Dr. DeHart has been very active in the legislative arena where she advocates for local control of public schools and full funding of Special Education Programs at both the state and federal levels. Students in Dr. DeHart's classes reap the benefits of an exciting, rigorous academic program grounded in the perspective of "real-life" administration. This blend of theory and practice prepare Ph.D. students to successfully meet the many challenges facing public education today, and to become the high quality leaders of tomorrow.
 

Curriculum Vitae