Kushman

Named Center Director

James W. Kushman is the new director of the Center for School and District Improvement at the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. Kushman has worked at NWREL since 1993 and most recently served as unit manager with the School Improvement Program. He fills the position left vacant by Bob Blum, who was promoted to deputy executive officer last spring.

Kushman has 20 years of experience in applied research, program development, school organizational change, consulting, and university teaching. He holds a Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, California, in psychology and organizational behavior. At NWREL, he managed regional centers for the national comprehensive school reform model, Onward to Excellence II, and developed a review process to help schools conduct studies of their improvement work. He also completed a three-year study of rural systemic reform in Alaska.

"I'm coming into a strong program with really skilled and talented people," says Kushman. "One of my priorities is to make sure those skills and talents are well utilized as we work for our national and regional clients." Kushman says he hopes to grow the center's technical services and research and development work, while diversifying its funding base.

Kushman, a Chicago native, sees real potential in expanding the areas in which the center already is strongly positioned: promoting whole school reform with a focus on reading and math; fostering professional learning teams; and supporting smaller learning communities. He says he looks forward to tapping into the resources of other NWREL centers of excellence, collaborating to become stronger and remain competitive.