Features

Two professors at the University of Washington College of Education are among the nation's most influential education policy academics.

After starting her career teaching middle and high school English and history, Jessica Rigby turned to research, concentrating on understanding the role of school and district leaders in the implementation of policy, classroom instruction, improving teacher practice and focus on equity. She earned her bachelor's in history from Oberlin College, a master's in education policy from Stanford University and a PhD in policy, organizations, measurement and evaluation from the University of California, Berkeley.

For Anne Beitlers, joining the UW College of Education as director of the Secondary Teacher Education Program is a homecoming. She is returning to Seattle after earning her PhD in English education at New York University, where she wrote her dissertation on the relationship between teachers' perceived needs of students and their practice in urban, all-male schools.

Dr. Larry Nyland, a distinguished local educator who earned his Ph.D. in educational leadership from University of Washington's College of Education, has been selected to lead Seattle Public Schools on a permanent basis after serving as interim superintendent since August. The Seattle School Board approved the move during its Dec. 10 meeting.