Fenwick W. English
Encyclopedia
Fenwick W. English is an American education
al leader, author, professor, editor, auditor and advocate of improved school leadership
. He is generally considered to be the "father" of the curriculum management audit and curriculum mapping. He has served as a University Professor, Dean, Department Chair, Superintendent of Schools, Assistant Superintendent of Schools, and Middle School Principal. Over the last two decades English has held many prominent positions in the American educational administration field; he is the author or coauthor of over 20 books, over 100 journal articles, editor of The Encyclopedia of Educational Administration, auditor of secondary school systems, President of the UCEA, and prominent leader in the field of education.
In 2002, he became the Robert Wendel Eaves Sr. Chair at the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill. This distinguished position honors one of this century’s great leaders in elementary education.
to middle-class parents Mel and Phyllis. His father taught middle school woodshop and his mother taught music. Fenwick's father and mother were both accomplished pianist
s.
In 1956 English enrolled in college at USC
where he graduated with a B.S.
in English and Education in 1961, and an M.S.
in Elementary Administration in 1963.
While studying for his M.S. he was also a teacher of third grade at the Tweedy Elementary School in South Gate, California
.
.
It was during his five years at Temple City that he started to formulate his ideas into writing. His observations in the classroom and school became the groundwork for his first book Differentiated staffing: Giving teaching a chance to improve learning published in 1969.
The book was well received, and it was not long before he was putting his theories into practice. In 1970 he was asked to direct a project in staff differentiation with three pilot schools in the Mesa Public Schools
District in Mesa, Arizona
. The project was funded by Arizona State University
where English was employed with the title of Project Director/Visiting Lecturer. In essence he was conducting practical research by being allowed to reorganize each pilot school along slightly different models and then measure performance differences. This work was the topic of his Doctoral Dissertation, and he received his Ph.D.
in 1972.
There was a clear improvement of student performance due to organization and differentiation of staff. The positive results were published in two books Strategies for Differentiated Staffing (1972) and School Organization and Management (1975).
What worked in Arizona on the small scale would get its true test in the Sarasota County, Florida
district schools. English was hired as the Assistant Superintendent for Personnel and Program Development by that district. At 25,000 students, the implementation was more difficult but just as effective as in Arizona.
He documented his ideas and work in his books School Organization and Management, Needs Assessment: A focus for Curriculum Development and Quality Control in Curriculum Development.
In Washington, D.C. in the late 1970s, President Jimmy Carter
's administration was moving for the creation of a cabinet level Department of Education
. Consultants were needed who knew education at the practical level. In 1979 English was hired by Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. (KPMG
Peat Marwick) as their National Practice Director, North American Continent, for Elementary and Secondary Education, in the firm’s Washington, D.C. Office. The consulting business opened English's eyes to a whole new set of tools. Business auditing and accounting practices were well-refined and formed the core of KPMG's business. English grasped these tools quickly and was successful in being elected as a partner in the firm in 1980.
Could business auditing practices be used to further refine Educational Administration to create a better education system? English discussed the concept and the potential benefits in Improving Curriculum Management in the Schools (1980), and Fundamental Curriculum Decisions (1983).
This theory became practice when in 1979 English was asked to conduct a "Curriculum Audit" of the Columbus, Ohio Public School District. This was the first of many formal curriculum audits conducted by English or under his guidelines.
In 1982 English was asked to become Superintendent of Schools for the prestigious Northport-East Northport Union Free School District
in Northport, New York
on Long Island
, New York
.
In academia, the yardstick of prestige and success is publications. From his vantage point as a secondary school District Administrator, English knew that in order to jump to academia, he would have to out-write and out-publish the most prolific and successful Educational Administration professors in the country.
in Bethlehem Pennsylvania was looking to expand their standing in the field of Educational Leadership. English was hired as a Professor of Educational Administration in the Department of Leadership, Instruction and Technology, College of Education, in 1984.
His academic responsibilities and status grew as he made strategic career shifts throughout the late 1980s and 1990s:
With firm grounding in practical educational administration, academia, and publications, English is well positioned to criticize all of the accepted bodies of the Intelligencia, and challenge them to revisit their science and transform it. He believes that the transformation should balance performance and accountability to become an Art. Only through the application of Educational Leadership as an Art can we communicate the whole message that creates better Educational Leaders, better school administration, better teachers and better education.
In 2005 English was elected to the Presidency of University Council of Educational Administration.
Fenwick W. English is also the creator and founder of the Curriculum Management Auditing process, first implemented in 1979 in the Columbus Public Schools, Ohio. The Curriculum Audit process is now owned by Curriculum Management Systems, Inc., and Fenwick English serves as the President. The company, founded in 1996, was formed under Fenwick’s leadership, and the original colleagues and owners of the business were English, Betty E. Steffy-English, William K. Poston Jr., Carolyn J. Downey, Larry E. Frase (died 2005) and R. Gerald Melton (died 2002). The company continues to offer curriculum audits in small and large school systems and colleges all over the world. Over 300 curriculum audits have been conducted to date by CMSi through its affiliates, Phi Delta Kappa International and the Texas Association of School Administrators. CMSi also offers over a dozen special training programs, engineered and created by Fen and/or his colleagues, designed to help educators work to close the achievement gaps between student groups. The company is headquartered in Johnston, Iowa, and has six employees, and approximately 200 licensed auditors and service-providers who work as independent subcontractors.
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
al leader, author, professor, editor, auditor and advocate of improved school leadership
School leadership
School leadership is the process of enlisting and guiding the talents and energies of teachers, pupils, and parents toward achieving common educational aims. This term is often used synonymously with educational leadership in the United States and has supplanted educational management in the United...
. He is generally considered to be the "father" of the curriculum management audit and curriculum mapping. He has served as a University Professor, Dean, Department Chair, Superintendent of Schools, Assistant Superintendent of Schools, and Middle School Principal. Over the last two decades English has held many prominent positions in the American educational administration field; he is the author or coauthor of over 20 books, over 100 journal articles, editor of The Encyclopedia of Educational Administration, auditor of secondary school systems, President of the UCEA, and prominent leader in the field of education.
In 2002, he became the Robert Wendel Eaves Sr. Chair at the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
at Chapel Hill. This distinguished position honors one of this century’s great leaders in elementary education.
Early years
Fenwick English was born in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
to middle-class parents Mel and Phyllis. His father taught middle school woodshop and his mother taught music. Fenwick's father and mother were both accomplished pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
s.
In 1956 English enrolled in college at USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
where he graduated with a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in English and Education in 1961, and an M.S.
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in Elementary Administration in 1963.
While studying for his M.S. he was also a teacher of third grade at the Tweedy Elementary School in South Gate, California
South Gate, California
South Gate is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The sixteenth largest city in Los Angeles County, it encompasses . South Gate is located just southeast of downtown Los Angeles It is part of the Gateway Cities region of southeastern Los Angeles County...
.
Elementary Education and Leadership
From his career start as a third grade teacher, English quickly moved up in the ranks of practicing educators and in school administrators. He taught elementary and middle school at Palm Crest Elementary School and Foothill Intermediate School in La Canada, California from 1961–1964. His leadership in the classroom was respected and this led to his promotion to Assistant Middle School Principal at that same Foothill Intermediate School from 1964–1965. In 1965, he moved up to Middle School Principal and Central Project Director, Temple City USD, Temple City, CaliforniaTemple City, California
Temple City is a city in Los Angeles County, California. Temple City is part of a cluster of cities, along with Arcadia, Rosemead, Monterey Park, San Marino, and San Gabriel, in the west San Gabriel Valley with a rapidly growing Asian population. Temple City also has a Cuban and Puerto Rican...
.
It was during his five years at Temple City that he started to formulate his ideas into writing. His observations in the classroom and school became the groundwork for his first book Differentiated staffing: Giving teaching a chance to improve learning published in 1969.
The book was well received, and it was not long before he was putting his theories into practice. In 1970 he was asked to direct a project in staff differentiation with three pilot schools in the Mesa Public Schools
Mesa Public Schools
Mesa Public Schools is the unified school district for the city of Mesa, Arizona, United States...
District in Mesa, Arizona
Mesa, Arizona
According to the 2010 Census, the racial composition of Mesa was as follows:* White: 77.1% * Hispanic or Latino : 26.54%* Black or African American: 3.5%* Two or more races: 3.4%* Native American: 2.4%...
. The project was funded by Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
where English was employed with the title of Project Director/Visiting Lecturer. In essence he was conducting practical research by being allowed to reorganize each pilot school along slightly different models and then measure performance differences. This work was the topic of his Doctoral Dissertation, and he received his Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in 1972.
There was a clear improvement of student performance due to organization and differentiation of staff. The positive results were published in two books Strategies for Differentiated Staffing (1972) and School Organization and Management (1975).
What worked in Arizona on the small scale would get its true test in the Sarasota County, Florida
Sarasota County, Florida
Sarasota County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2008 estimate for the county was 372,057. Its county seat is Sarasota, Florida....
district schools. English was hired as the Assistant Superintendent for Personnel and Program Development by that district. At 25,000 students, the implementation was more difficult but just as effective as in Arizona.
Rise to fame and career
English received national recognition for his achievements by being elected Associate Executive Director–American Association of School Administrators (the AASA) and Director of the National Center for the Improvement of Learning. Arlington, Virginia. Although this position was honorary, it gave him exposure to people and movements within education at the national level. It also gave him the opportunity to plan and direct two national summer conferences in Minneapolis and Denver.He documented his ideas and work in his books School Organization and Management, Needs Assessment: A focus for Curriculum Development and Quality Control in Curriculum Development.
In Washington, D.C. in the late 1970s, President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
's administration was moving for the creation of a cabinet level Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
. Consultants were needed who knew education at the practical level. In 1979 English was hired by Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. (KPMG
KPMG
KPMG is one of the largest professional services networks in the world and one of the Big Four auditors, along with Deloitte, Ernst & Young and PwC. Its global headquarters is located in Amstelveen, Netherlands....
Peat Marwick) as their National Practice Director, North American Continent, for Elementary and Secondary Education, in the firm’s Washington, D.C. Office. The consulting business opened English's eyes to a whole new set of tools. Business auditing and accounting practices were well-refined and formed the core of KPMG's business. English grasped these tools quickly and was successful in being elected as a partner in the firm in 1980.
Could business auditing practices be used to further refine Educational Administration to create a better education system? English discussed the concept and the potential benefits in Improving Curriculum Management in the Schools (1980), and Fundamental Curriculum Decisions (1983).
This theory became practice when in 1979 English was asked to conduct a "Curriculum Audit" of the Columbus, Ohio Public School District. This was the first of many formal curriculum audits conducted by English or under his guidelines.
In 1982 English was asked to become Superintendent of Schools for the prestigious Northport-East Northport Union Free School District
Northport-East Northport Union Free School District
Northport-East Northport Union Free School District is a school district in New York.-History:In 1922 the East Northport and Eatons Neck districts united with Northport, forming the Northport-East Northport Union Free School District, and in 1924, a new building opened on Laurel Avenue. It was...
in Northport, New York
Northport, New York
Northport is a village in Suffolk County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the village population was 7,606. Students attend the Northport-East Northport Union Free School District....
on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Bridging from practice to academic leadership
To make a mark in the field of education required the credentials of a University Professorship at a minimum. Yet almost none of the professors in U.S. academia had ever practiced education or educational administration in a real secondary school district. The gap between academia and practical administration was huge (and still is). Bridging the gap became a quest for English that would take him to many positions at many academic institutions throughout the U.S. His travels in building this bridge would earn him the nickname "The Gypsy" from friends and family.In academia, the yardstick of prestige and success is publications. From his vantage point as a secondary school District Administrator, English knew that in order to jump to academia, he would have to out-write and out-publish the most prolific and successful Educational Administration professors in the country.
Academic leadership
Lehigh UniversityLehigh University
Lehigh University is a private, co-educational university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the United States. It was established in 1865 by Asa Packer as a four-year technical school, but has grown to include studies in a wide variety of disciplines...
in Bethlehem Pennsylvania was looking to expand their standing in the field of Educational Leadership. English was hired as a Professor of Educational Administration in the Department of Leadership, Instruction and Technology, College of Education, in 1984.
His academic responsibilities and status grew as he made strategic career shifts throughout the late 1980s and 1990s:
- Professor and Department Head, Educational Administration, College of Education, University of CincinnatiUniversity of CincinnatiThe University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
, Ohio. Doctoral and masters level instruction. UCEA member program. 1987–1991 - Professor, Department of Educational Administration and Supervision, College of Education, University of KentuckyUniversity of KentuckyThe University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
, Lexington, Kentucky. Doctoral and masters level instruction. UCEA member program. 1991–1995 - Professor and Dean, School of Education- Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW). Responsible for 20 FTE faculty, 800 undergraduate students, 400 graduate students (masters). 1995–1996. English also held the position of Director of the National Center for the Improvement of Learning during this time.
- Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs - Indiana University -Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW). Responsible for 7 academic units (Arts and Sciences, Engineering and Technology, Fine Arts, Education, Nursing, Business, Continuing Education) 159 degree programs, 11,500 students, 500 faculty. (1996–1998)
- Professor and Program Coordinator-Educational Leadership Program. R. Wendell Eaves Distinguished Professor of Educational Leadership. 5 FTE faculty, 6 adjuncts (clinical). Doctoral and masters level instruction, UCEA member program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Also served as Interim Dean of the School of Education, July–October 2003.
Current projects
English's rise to the "top" of educational leadership has not been accompanied by a softening of his views on the status quo of education. He remains a radical. A 2000 article on the ISLLC standards is illustrative.With firm grounding in practical educational administration, academia, and publications, English is well positioned to criticize all of the accepted bodies of the Intelligencia, and challenge them to revisit their science and transform it. He believes that the transformation should balance performance and accountability to become an Art. Only through the application of Educational Leadership as an Art can we communicate the whole message that creates better Educational Leaders, better school administration, better teachers and better education.
In 2005 English was elected to the Presidency of University Council of Educational Administration.
Fenwick W. English is also the creator and founder of the Curriculum Management Auditing process, first implemented in 1979 in the Columbus Public Schools, Ohio. The Curriculum Audit process is now owned by Curriculum Management Systems, Inc., and Fenwick English serves as the President. The company, founded in 1996, was formed under Fenwick’s leadership, and the original colleagues and owners of the business were English, Betty E. Steffy-English, William K. Poston Jr., Carolyn J. Downey, Larry E. Frase (died 2005) and R. Gerald Melton (died 2002). The company continues to offer curriculum audits in small and large school systems and colleges all over the world. Over 300 curriculum audits have been conducted to date by CMSi through its affiliates, Phi Delta Kappa International and the Texas Association of School Administrators. CMSi also offers over a dozen special training programs, engineered and created by Fen and/or his colleagues, designed to help educators work to close the achievement gaps between student groups. The company is headquartered in Johnston, Iowa, and has six employees, and approximately 200 licensed auditors and service-providers who work as independent subcontractors.