Dr. David R. Garcia

David R. Garcia is an Associate Professor in the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University. Garcia's professional experience includes extensive work in state and national education policy development and implementation. Prior to his appointment at ASU, he served as the Associate Superintendent of Public Instruction for the state of Arizona, Director of Research and Policy for the Arizona Department of Education, research analyst for the Arizona state legislature and as a peer consultant for the U.S. Department of Education.

His research interests include school choice, accountability and the study of factors that facilitate or distort policy implementation in public education. His scholarship has appeared in numerous journals and books including Teachers College Record, Educational Policy and Social Science Quarterly. In addition, he is currently co-editor of two academic journals, Education Policy Analysis Archives and Review of Research in Education. In 2009, he was awarded the National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship.

Garcia has contributed his leadership and expertise to many education organizations including the Arizona State Board of Education, the Morrison Institute for Public Policy at ASU and the Arizona Humanities Council. He has directed the Arizona Education Policy Initiative since it’s founding in 2003 and currently serves on the board of the Arizona Latino Research Enterprise. He has been recognized by Phoenix magazine and the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for his contributions to public education. In 2011, he participated in the inaugural class of the Flinn-Brown Civic Leadership Academy.

Garcia received a Bachelor of Arts and Honors Diploma from Arizona State University. He holds a Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Chicago in Education Policy, Research and Institutional Studies.

Garcia is a veteran who proudly served in the U.S. Army Infantry.