Ronald R. Edmonds
Ronald R. Edmonds (1935-1983), educator and author, introduced the concept of Effective Schools. In a career spanning about two decades he worked in three major states with significant urban and minority populations: Michigan, Massachusetts, and New York. In these states he spread his ideas and worked directly to implement them. He undertook this work in the high school classroom, at the district level, at the state level and in higher education as a researcher, proponent, and professor. He published widely, both studies and articles, to promote his findings within the profession. He stands among a handful of great twentieth century innovators in education whose works have shaped the field and the broader society around it.
Born May 24, 1935 at Ypsilanti, Michigan, he received his B.A. in American History from the University of Michigan and an M.A. in the same field from Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti. He also received a certificate of advanced study from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education.
From 1981 until his death in July 15, 1983 Edmonds was professor of education at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan. For most of the 1970s he was in Boston at Harvard and from 1978 to 1980 he was in New York with the city schools . For the 1980-81 3rd edition of Who's Who Among Black Americans, Northbrook, IL: Who's Who Among Black Americans, Inc. Publishing Company, 1981, Edmonds reported that he was a lecturer in the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. While there he was engaged in indepenent study from 1972-73, and was director of the Center for Urban Studies in Harvard's graduate education program from 1973-77. He listed his immediately previous position as senior assistant for instruction, New York City Public Schools. While there he served under Chancellor Frank J. Macchiarola and fostered the belief that improving education for poor children with management and discipline would improve education for all children. Edmonds Playground, Brooklyn, is named in his memory.
Prior to his move to Harvard, Edmonds had been a faculty member in the Labor School, Univeristy of Michigan, 1968-70, and also was human relations director for the Ann Arbor, Michigan Public Schools. In 1970-71 he was employed in the Title V -- Improving State Leadership in Education program, for the Michigan Dept. of Public Instruction; in 1970-72 he was assistant superintendent in the Dept. of Public Instruction, State of Michigan.
His education career began as a teacher at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School, 1964-68. At that time he began doing project work with the departments of Michigan University, including the Center for Research on Conflict Resolution, 1967-68. Throughout his career he received many federal government and foundation grants, the latter including the Ford Foundation (1972-73) and the Carnegie Corporation (ongoing after 1973).
One of his publications is available in full text from ERIC:
Search for Effective Schools: The Identification of City Schools That Are Instructionally Effective For Poor Children, 1977.
For more such publicly funded publications, and how to obtain them, see the ERIC database. See also the bibliographies of the basic sources listed elsewhere on this site.
Arthur H. Miller
October 13, 2009