Linda Darling-Hammond facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Linda Darling-Hammond
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| President of the California State Board of Education | |
| Assumed office February 12, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Michael Kirst |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 21, 1951 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Yale University (BA) Temple University (MA, EdD) |
| Awards | Yidan Prize for Education Research (2022) |
Linda Darling-Hammond, born on December 21, 1951, is an American expert in education. She is a retired professor from Stanford University's Graduate School of Education. She also used to be the leader of the Learning Policy Institute, an organization that studies education.
She has written or helped write over 25 books and more than 500 articles about how schools work and how to make them better. Her main work is about making schools better, training teachers, and making sure all students have a fair chance to learn. She advised Barack Obama during his 2008 presidential campaign on education. She was also considered for the role of United States Secretary of Education.
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Early Life and Education
Linda Darling-Hammond was born in Cleveland, Ohio. She attended Yale University and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1973. Later, in 1978, she received her Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree from Temple University. This higher degree focused on urban education.
Career Highlights
Darling-Hammond started her career as a public school teacher in Pennsylvania from 1973 to 1974.
Working at RAND Corporation
In 1985, after finishing her doctorate, she joined the RAND Corporation. This is a research organization that helps improve public policy. She worked there as a Senior Social Scientist. She also directed the RAND Education and Human Resources Program. She left RAND in 1989 to become a university professor.
Teaching and Leadership Roles
From 1989 to 1998, Darling-Hammond was a professor of education at Teachers College, Columbia University. She then moved to Stanford University in 1998. In September 2015, she started the Learning Policy Institute. This group researches education and suggests new policies. She served as its president and chief executive officer.
In 2019, California Governor Gavin Newsom chose Darling-Hammond for an important role. She became the president of the California State Board of Education. She took over from Michael W. Kirst.
Important Contributions to Education
Darling-Hammond has held many leadership positions in education. She was president of the American Educational Research Association. She was also a member of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. She served on the boards of several foundations, including the Spencer Foundation. In 2011, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award. This award was from the California Educational Research Association. In 2021, she became an International Fellow. This honor came from the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences.
Improving Teaching and Fairness
Linda Darling-Hammond has worked hard to make schools better. She helped create standards for new teachers. These standards guide what new teachers should know and be able to do. She also helped develop learning standards for New York State. These standards guide what students should learn.
From 1994 to 2001, she led a group called the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future. This group focused on improving the quality of teaching in the United States. Their work led to many changes in education policies. They helped people understand how important good teachers are. Their main report, "What Matters Most: Teaching for America's Future," was very influential. Education Week magazine called it one of the most important studies in U.S. education.
In 2006, Education Week named her one of the 10 most influential people in education policy. She has received many awards and honorary degrees. These honors recognize her important work.
Developing Learning Standards
While at Teachers College, Columbia, Darling-Hammond helped start a center. It was called the National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools, and Teaching (NCREST). This center studied successful school models. It also supported school improvements. As chair of New York State's Council on Curriculum and Assessment, she helped create a plan for school reform. This plan included new learning standards and ways to test student learning.
She also led the development of licensing standards for new teachers. These standards are now used in over 40 states. They focus on what teachers can do in the classroom. She also helped create tests that show teachers' skills. One example is the Performance Assessment for California Teachers (PACT). This test helps license teachers in California.
Creating New Schools and Programs
Darling-Hammond started her career as a public school teacher. She also helped create a preschool and a public high school. This high school serves students from low-income families in East Palo Alto, California. In an area where few students went to college, this new high school has been very successful. More than 90 percent of its graduates now go on to college.
She also helped redesign the Stanford Teacher Education Program (STEP). This program trains teachers for schools that need them most. The STEP program is now recognized as one of the best in the nation. Darling-Hammond has worked with many schools and districts. She helps them create new school models and training programs.
She believes that the United States needs to improve its education system. She has pointed out that there are big differences in education quality. She thinks all children deserve access to good education.
Views on Teach For America
Linda Darling-Hammond has recognized that Teach For America brings new talent into teaching. However, she is also known for her concerns about the program. In 2005, a study she helped with found something interesting. Teachers in Houston who joined without full training, including Teach For America teachers, were less effective at first. They also left teaching sooner than traditionally trained teachers. Darling-Hammond explained that all teachers benefit from good preparation. She said that Teach For America teachers became more effective after they became certified.
Consideration for Secretary of Education
In 2008, many people thought Darling-Hammond might become the United States Secretary of Education. This was during the time Barack Obama was forming his administration. Other people considered for the role included Joel Klein and Arne Duncan. Obama eventually chose Arne Duncan for the position. Darling-Hammond later said she would not take other roles in the Obama administration. She wanted to focus on her work in California.
However, her involvement with the federal government continued. In November 2020, she was chosen to lead a team for the Presidential transition of Joe Biden. This team helped with the changeover for the United States Department of Education.
Recognition and Awards
Linda Darling-Hammond received the 2022 Yidan Prize for Education Research. This prize is a major international award. It recognizes her important contributions to education research. The prize includes a gold medal and a significant cash award.
Books Written
Darling-Hammond has written many books about education. Some of her books include:
- Preparing Teachers for Deeper Learning (2019)
- Empowered Educators: How High-Performing Systems Shape Teaching Quality Around the World (2017)
- Be the Change: Reinventing School for Student Success (2015)
- Teaching in the Flat World: Learning from High-Performing Systems (2015)
- Beyond the Bubble Test: How Performance Assessments Support 21st Century Learning (2014)
- Getting Teacher Evaluation Right: What Really Matters for Effectiveness and Improvement (2013)
- The Flat World and Education: How America's Commitment to Equity Will Determine Our Future (2010)
- Powerful Learning: What We Know About Teaching for Understanding (2008)
- Powerful Teacher Education: Lessons from Exemplary Programs (2006)
- Preparing Teachers for a Changing World: What Teachers Should Learn and Be Able to Do (2006)
- Instructional Leadership for Systemic Change: The Story of San Diego's Reform (2005)
- A Good Teacher in Every Classroom: Preparing the Highly Qualified Teachers Our Children Deserve (2005)
- Professional Development Schools: Schools for Developing a Profession (2005)
