Jeffrey V Bennett, Ph.D.

Biographical Sketch

Jeffrey V. Bennett is an Assistant Professor in Educational Policy Studies and Practice in the College of Education at the University of Arizona. Prior to joining the faculty at Arizona, Jeff earned his doctorate at The Ohio State University and worked as a school-community partnership specialist for the P-12 Project, which is a university-wide partnership to improve Ohio’s schools serving children from lower socioeconomic families. He also was an educational policy intern at the Ohio Legislative Office of Education Oversight. Jeff taught high school social studies for 10 years in a large urban and economically-disadvantaged school district in Columbus, Ohio and served in roles such as department chair and school-community liaison. Jeff received his B.A. and M.A. in Social Studies and Global Education and Ph.D. in Educational Administration at The Ohio State University.

Dr. Bennett’s research explores collaborative leadership and capacity-building (i.e., organizational, community) for educational change. Some of Jeff’s recent work has examined collaboration (i.e., development, capacity for sustainability, democratic processes, leader agency) between education and business leaders involved in partnerships and intermediary/non-profit organizations with the intent to improve K-12 education at both school district and regional levels. His interest in collaboration and community engagement has also been a key aspect of recent work with department faculty in examining leadership for school turnaround in a culturally diverse, changing demographic, and border contexts. Jeff is associated with the International Successful School Principalship Project (ISSPP; see “Links” or Educational Policy Studies & Practice “Projects” for more information). His research has been published in top-tier journals in educational administration and leadership.

Dr. Bennett’s strives to prepare K-12 educational leaders to with the necessary skills, dispositions, and theoretical lenses to engage in collaboration in democratic communities and mobilize supportive resources. In short, Jeff seeks to imbue leaders with an ecological perspective of educational change, school improvement, and equity and access. His work and research draw upon the following: ethic of community, ecological systems theory, institutional theory, organizational theory, critical theory, social justice, and social capital theory.

Dr. Bennett is also active in professional associations such as AERA Division A (Administration, Organization, & Leadership), Family-School-Community Partnerships SIG, and UCEA. He has served as a member of college and department committees, including College Council, and provides service and outreach regionally and nationally.