Joe Nathan

Areas of Expertise

Charter public schools; parent and community involvement; school choice programs; legislation and research; youth community service; public education reform

Biography

Joe Nathan, senior fellow, directs the Center for School Change, which seeks to help transform public education and to produce significant improvements in student achievement. The Center has received support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Annenberg, Blandin, and Frey foundations. Current projects include work with governors in six states and with schools in a number of communities to help increase achievement and the percentage of students who graduate ready to do college level work. Nathan has been a public school teacher and administrator and coordinated the National Governors Association education reform project, Time for Results. His specialty areas include parent and community involvement, school choice, charter schools, and youth community service.

Nathan has testified before twenty state legislatures and the U.S. Congress. He regularly publishes commentaries in major U.S. newspapers and has appeared on several hundred radio and television programs. The American School Boards Journal named his most recent book, Charter Schools: Creating Hope and Opportunity for American Education, one of the seven best books written about education in 1997.

Nathan holds a doctorate in educational administration from the University of Minnesota.

Courses Taught

For syllabi for the current semester, view the University of Minnesota's Course Guide. For syllabi for public affairs classes for Fall 2007 or earlier, view the Humphrey Institute's course syllabi web page. Syllabi are available in alternative formats. Please send requests to Stacey Grimes, Humphrey Institute Office of the Associate Dean (grime004@umn.edu).

Go to the University of Minnesota One Stop website to apply for these and other public affairs courses.

No Fall 2009 courses.