Bryan A. VanGronigen

Assistant Professor

Dr. Bryan A. VanGronigen is Assistant Professor of Education specializing in Educational Leadership in the School of Education at the University of Delaware. His overarching research focus is on organizational resilience and change management in K-12 schools with specific interest areas in efforts to improve schools, the preparation and professional development of educational leaders, and educational policy analyses. Currently, he is working on projects related to state education agencies (SEAs), in-service professional development experiences for educational leaders, and the school improvement planning process.

His research has been published in a range of highly-selective academic journals like the American Journal of Education, Educational Policy, the Journal of Research on Leadership Education, Teachers College Record, and Urban Education, in practitioner outlets like the federally funded Center on School Turnaround, and in trade magazines like the Phi Delta Kappan and Educational Leadership. Dr. VanGronigen has presented his research at numerous professional conferences, such as the American Educational Research Association’s Annual Meeting, the University Council for Educational Administration’s Annual Convention, and the Council of Chief State School Officers School Leadership Development and Supports Collaborative.

States like Alabama, Delaware, Indiana, and Utah have incorporated his research on school improvement efforts into their theories of action and supports for underperforming schools. Dr. VanGronigen also has formed research-practice partnerships with the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE), the Christina School District in Delaware, and Cumberland County Schools in North Carolina in which he provides research support to educational leaders designing and implementing school improvement efforts.

Dr. VanGronigen teaches courses on evidence-informed decision-making, qualitative and mixed data collection and analysis, leadership theory and practice, and preparing and completing the Education Leadership Portfolio (ELP), which is the dissertation capstone for doctoral students enrolled in the School of Education’s Ed.D. in Educational Leadership program.

Prior to becoming a faculty member, Dr. VanGronigen was a middle school and high school social studies teacher, a department chair, and a schoolwide leadership team member.

 

Educational Background

• Ph.D., K-12 Educational Administration and Supervision, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, 2019.
• M.Ed., Higher Education Administration, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, 2011.
• B.S.Ed., Secondary Social Studies Education, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, 2009.

Professional Experience

• Assistant Professor of Education, School of Education, University of Delaware, 2019–present.
• Dean of Education, American Legion Boys State of Missouri, 2017–2024.
• Social Sciences Department Chair and School Leadership Team Member, Hilton Head Preparatory School, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, 2013–2015.
• Social Sciences Teacher, Hilton Head Preparatory School, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, 2011–2015.

Recent Professional Awards

• Excellence in Teaching Award Nominee, University of Delaware, 2023
• Emerging Scholar Award Nominee, American Educational Research Association (AERA) Division A, 2023
• Dissertation of the Year, AERA Leadership for School Improvement Special Interest Group, 2020
• Jessie C. Carpenter Scholar, University of Virginia, 2019–2020
• Mary Catherine Ellwein Scholar, University of Virginia, 2018–2019
• Frank E. Flora Scholar in Educational Administration, University of Virginia, 2018–2019