Jon Eckert, Ed.D., is Professor of Educational Leadership, and the Lynda and Robert Copple Endowed Chair for Christians in School Leadership. Dr. Eckert came to Baylor in 2019 with over two decades of experience in education. He taught and coached intermediate and middle school students outside of Chicago and Nashville for 12 years. After completing his doctorate at Vanderbilt University in 2008, he was selected as a Teaching Ambassador Fellow at the U.S. Department of Education, where he worked in both the Bush and Obama administrations on teaching quality issues. Prior to joining Baylor, he prepared teachers at Wheaton College.

His research interests include collective leadership, teaching effectiveness, evaluation and strategic compensation to enhance that effectiveness, and science education. Dr. Eckert has conducted research for the U.S. Department of Education, the Carnegie Foundation, the National Network of State Teachers of the Year, the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching, and the Center for Teaching Quality.

He is the author of books including Just Teaching: Feedback, Engagement, and Well-being for Each Student (2023), Leading Together: Teachers and Principals Improving Student Outcomes (2018), and The Novice Advantage: Fearless Practice for Every Teacher (2016); book chapters; numerous peer-reviewed articles in journals such as Educational Administration Quarterly, Elementary School Journal, Leadership & Policy in Schools, Professional Development in Education, and Education Policy Analysis Archives, and practitioner publications such as Education Week and Phi Delta Kappan. He has written and presented white papers on Capitol Hill and the National Press Club and has been invited to present all over the U.S., Australia, Canada, Windsor Castle, and Muscat, Oman at a G8-Broader Middle East Summit for education ministers.

Dr. Eckert provides academic leadership for the Baylor Center for School Leadership and is the Program Director of Baylor’s MA in School Leadership, offered through the School of Education’s Department of Educational Administration.

You can read more on Dr. Eckert's research and find helpful resources on www.jonathaneckert.org.