Kevin Welner elected to distinguished National Academy of Education Board of Directors
The the election of Kevin Welner, research professor at the University of Colorado Boulder School of Education and director of the National Education Policy Center, to its Board of Directors for a four-year term beginning in November 2025.
Welner’s appointment to the board reflects his distinguished contributions to education research and policy. A nationally recognized education law scholar, Welner has published extensively on opportunity gaps, school reform and equity in public education.
His work has shaped and distilled national conversations around education justice and continues to influence both scholarship and policy.
Founded in1965, NAEd is an honorific society that “advances high quality education research and its use in policy and practice.” Welner became an elected member of the academy last spring, and he is among five current CU Boulder colleagues who are also members of NAEd members, including Derek Briggs, Rubén Donato, Margaret Eisenhart, Bill Penuel and Lorrie Shepard, who is a former NAEd president. Members serve on expert study panels that address pressing issues in education, and they engage in professional development fellowship programs. Election to the NAEd Board of Directors is a rare distinction, recognizing individuals whose work has had a profound impact on the field.
“We are proud to see Dr. Welner’s leadership and scholarship recognized at the highest level,” said Amanda Haertling Thein, dean of the CU Boulder School of Education. “We know his thoughtful contributions will continue to be an invaluable asset to the academy.”