Barbara DeHart

Dean, School of Educational Studies
Director, Urban Leadership Program

	Education
	Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara
	Biography
	Dr. Barbara DeHart currently serves as the Interim Dean for the School of Educational Studies and is the Director of the cohort-based Urban Leadership program.  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. Dr. DeHart has served public education for thirty-three years, most recently as 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 has presented 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.