Carl A. Cohn, Ed.D
E-mail Address: cacohn@aol.com or carl.cohn@cgu.edu
EDUCATION
1981
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION, Administrative and Policy Studies
University of California, Los Angeles
1972
MASTER OF ARTS, Counseling
Chapman University, Orange, California
1967
BACHELOR OF ARTS, Philosophy
St. John's College, Camarillo, California
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Fall, 2013
Aspen Institute, Washington, DC, Faculty
Spring, 2012
Visiting Senior Fellow, Graduate School of Education and Human
Development, George Washington University
2011-Present
California State Board of Education Member
July, 2011
Harvard Institute for School Leaders, Faculty
2009-Present
Professor and Director, Urban Leadership Program
Claremont Graduate University
2007-2008
Distinguished Leader in Residence
San Diego State University
2005-2007
Superintendent of Schools, San Diego Unified School District
2003-2005
Independent Monitor, Modified Consent Decree
Los Angeles Unified School District
Federal District Court, Los Angeles
2002-2005
Clinical Professor, Rossier School of Education,
University of Southern California
1992-2002
Superintendent of Schools
Long Beach Unified School District
Fall, 1997
Fall, 2000
Fall, 2006
Adjunct Professor, Graduate School of Education, Harvard University
1990-1992
Area Superintendent
Long Beach Unified School District
1988-1990
Director of Attendance
Long Beach Unified School District
1986-1988
Associate Professor, Educational Administration
California State University, Los Angeles
1984-1986
Assistant Professor, Educational Administration
University of Pittsburgh
1977-1984
Administrative Assistant, Secondary Division (1982-1984)
Administrative Coordinator, Urban Affairs (1977-1982)
Long Beach Unified School District
1971-1977
Counselor
Long Beach Polytechnic High School
Long Beach Unified School District
1969-1971
Teacher/Counselor
Dominguez Senior High School
Compton Unified School District
PUBLICATIONS
“California Deserves Praise Not Punishment for Common Sense School Reforms,” EdSource
Today Commentary, November 8, 2013.
A Plan for Evaluating the District of Columbia’s Public Schools: From Impressions to Evidence.
Committee on the Independent Evaluation of DC Public Schools. National Research Council of
the National Academies, Washington, DC, 2011
“Sustaining Improvement over Time,” with L. Boozer, L. Kelly and P. Forgione. In R. Peterkin,
D. Jewell-Sherman, L. Kelley and L. Boozer, Every Child Every Classroom Every Day: School
Leaders Who Are Making Equity A Reality (pp. 232-260). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2011.
Foreword. In R. Odden, Strategic Management of Human Capital in Education: Improving
Instructional Practice and Human Learning in Schools (pp.xi-xii). New York: Routledge, 2011.
Foreword. In L. Winters and J. Herman, The TurnAround ToolKit: Managing Rapid, Sustainable
School Improvement (pp. vii-viii). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin, 2011.
“Middle School Configurations Not as Important as Interventions,” (With R. Hastings).
Sacramento Bee, March 10, 2010.
“Breaking Up San Diego Unified is a Bad Policy Option.” San Diego Union-Tribune, May 24,
2009.
“Urban School Systems: Getting Talent to All the Right Places.” Claremont Education Letter,
Issue 4, Volume 2, 2009.
Partnering to Lead Educational Renewal: High Quality Teachers, High Quality Schools, (edit
with Houck and K. Cohn) New York: Teachers College Press, 2004.
“What happens when Washington decides how to count kids? Kids don’t count.”
San Diego Union-Tribune, September 29, 2006.
“The Superintendent, Peacemaker,” Voice of San Diego, June 27, 2006.
“Bill would give unions too much control over education,” Press-Telegram,
March 24, 2002.
“Turning Education’s Rhetoric Into Reality: Lessons From a Pioneering School District On
Simple Truths and Positive Attitudes,” Education Week, February 20, 2002.
“Proposition 38 isn’t the answer to school problems,” Press-Telegram, October 22, 2000.
“Tragedy at Columbine High: The so-called ‘youth crisis’ is largely spiritual,” Press-Telegram,
April 25, 1999.
“Wrestling with Retention: Long Beach Unified School District Takes a New Tack to Enforce
Its K-8 Promotion Standards,” (with K. DeVries) The School Administrator, Summer, 1998.
“Our Second-Chance Program: ‘The Hardest Work We’ve Ever Done’,” The School
Administrator, Summer 1998.
“School Improvement Initiatives in Long Beach, California: The Quest for Higher Student
Achievement, Behavior and Dress Standards.” (with K. Cohn) Education, Winter, 1998.
"The Marriage of K-12 and Higher Education is Working Very Well," Press-Telegram,
December 8, 1996.
"Reading Depends Upon Proven Approaches Plus Progressive Change," California Curriculum
News Report, October, 1996.
"Mandatory School Uniforms: Long Beach's Pioneering Experience Finds Safety and Economic
Benefits," The School Administrator, February 1996.
"Teach Values in Public Schools," Press-Telegram, June 4, 1995.
"You Can't Expect Schools to Stop Street Crime," Press-Telegram, June 12, 1994.
"Tribute to a Community Leader: Mary Butler's Name Lives on in a School," Press-Telegram,
September 12, 1993.
"Turning Crises Into Opportunity: A Statement on Chapter 1 Policy" (with Crew, McCully,
Mesa, Payzant, Rojas and Thompson), Far West Laboratory, February 26, 1993.
"The Role of Accreditation and Program Quality Review in School Reform in California" (with
K. Cohn), Boston, MA: ERIC Document Reproduction Service Number EA 021 920, April 18,
1990.
"The Bilingual Special Education Administrative Internship Program: A Cooperative Response
to the Needs of a Changing School Population" (with K. Cohn and R. Lindsey), The Journal of
California Association of Professors of Educational Administration, 1989, 1 (1), 45-52.
"Legislative Response to Proposition 63: The Fight to Save Bilingual Education in California"
(with K. Cohn and Negrete), New Orleans, LA: ERIC Document Reproduction Service Number
Ed 302 088, April 7, 1988.
"Gang Intervention in Long Beach--A Community Approach," Pupil Services Digest, Los
Angeles County Office of Education, 1988.
Book review of Down From Equality: Black Chicagoans and the Public Schools, 1920-41 in the
American Journal of Education, May, 1986.
"Pennsylvania Isn't Taking School Reform Seriously" (with Plank), Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,
January 16, 1986.
“Grading Schools: A Good Education System Can Do Wonders for a State's Economic Future"
(with Plank), Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 11, 1985.
"Pennsylvania Must Do More for Its Schools" (with Plank), Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 4,
1985.
"Minorities Want Higher Standards in Our Schools," Press-Telegram, July 19, 1982.
Book review of Practical Politics for School Administrators in the Politics of Education Bulletin,
Fall, 1981.
"For Better Schools in Long Beach, Let's Start with Discipline and Attendance," Press-Telegram,
February 3, 1980.
"California Educational Policy-Making by Initiative; the Specter of Unintended Outcomes" (with
Burcham), Politics of Education Bulletin, Fall, 1979.
"Robbins Anti-Busing Initiative May Backfire On Its Supporters" (with Burcham), PressTelegram, May 21, 1979.
HONORS AND PRESENTATIONS
West Coast Colloquium, The Gordon Commission Report Series, Expert Panel, UCLA, June 12,
2013.
Finland Phenomenon: School Reform in Finland, Expert panel, Los Angeles Consulate General
of Finland, June 12, 2013.
School Governance Workshop, Madison, Wisconsin, May 22, 2013.
“A Critique of Corporate School Reform,” address to the University of Michigan, College of
Education faculty, May 3, 2013.
Commencement Address, University of Michigan, College of Education, May 4, 2013.
Education at the Crossroads: Research, Policy, and Practice, John Regan Lecture, Claremont
Graduate University, “Educational Politics in California,” February 19, 2013.
State Policy Framework for Beginning Teachers, Expert Panel, Stuart Foundation, San
Francisco, January 8, 2013.
Learning Forward’s Contribution to the Field Award. Anaheim, CA, December 6, 2011.
“Partnering with Higher Education: The Real Value-Added in an Urban School District,”
Thought Leader Lecture, Learning Forward National Conference. Anaheim, CA, December 5,
2011.
“The Opportunity of Transitional Kindergarten,” Keynote Address, Transitional Kindergarten
Implementation Summit. Sacramento, CA, November 8, 2011.
California Commission for Teacher Credentialing Conference, Keynote Address. Sacramento,
CA, October 13, 2011.
“Hong Kong’s Educational Reform Strategy, A Conversation with Kai-meng Cheng and Carl
Cohn,” Grantmaker’s for Education National Conference. Los Angeles, CA, October 4, 2011.
“Learning from LA: Scaling Improved Achievement with All Voices at the Table, Panel
Moderator, Grantmaker’s for Education National Conference. Los Angeles, CA, October 3,
2011.
“Ten Years of the Broad Prize Review,” Expert Panel, Library of Congress. Washington, DC,
September 20, 2011.
“Finnish Lessons: What Can the United States Learn from Educational Change in Finland,”
Panel Moderator, Brave Questions International Education Seminar. San Diego, CA, August 9,
2011.
AACTE’s Teacher Performance Assessment Advisory Council Meeting. Washington, DC, June
14, 2011.
California State University, Fullerton, College of Education Annual Alumni Event, Keynote
Address. Fullerton, CA, May 5, 2011.
California City Superintendents Conference, Keynote Address. San Diego, CA, April 28, 2011.
California Council for Teacher Preparation, Keynote Address. San Diego, CA, April 5, 2011.
Invited Panel on McKinsey’s Global Launch of “How the World’s Most Improved School
Systems Keep Getting Better,” Washington, DC, December 7, 2010.
Invited Panel for the Chicago Public Education Fund, “Can Talent Strategies Move the Needle
on Student Achievement?” Chicago, September 30, 2010.
Santa Ana Unified School District Management Team, Keynote Address. August 19, 2010.
“Implications of Federal (Race to the Top/i3) Funding for School Districts: Conversations with
Key Leaders and Funders, AERA Invited Panel. Denver, April 30, 2010.
Ed Source Forum, “Can Big Issues Yield Big Opportunities for Schools?” Irvine, CA, April 17,
2009.
General Electric Foundation, “The Harvard PELP Long Beach Case.” Orlando, Florida, July 30,
2009.
“Making a Difference in Urban Education”, Keynote Speech. Education Pioneers, Los Angeles,
CA, August, 2009.
“Teaching Hope,” Keynote Speech. Shasta County Office of Education. Redding, CA, August
13, 2009.
UCEA Panel Presentation, Special Session on Reform in LAUSD. Anaheim, CA, November 20,
2009.
ACT Annual Meeting Panel Presentation, “Workforce Development Challenges in A Changing
World.” Iowa City, IA, October 20, 2009.
Welcome Speech, Council of the Great City Schools 2006 Fall Conference, October 26, 2006.
Closing Plenary Speaker, 11th Annual Conference on Family Violence, Institute on Violence,
Abuse and Trauma, San Diego, California, September 19, 2006.
Summer Commencement Ceremony Speaker, San Diego Unified School District, August 4, 2006.
Speaker, San Diego County Medical Society Foundation, Retired Physicians Club, July 27,
2006.
Speaker, University Now, Pt. Loma Nazarene College, San Diego, California, May 16, 2006.
Keynote Speaker, Mesa College Commencement Ceremony, San Diego, California, May 4, 2006.
Speaker for Education Commission of the States 2002 National Forum on Education Policy,
“How Can School Boards and Superintendents Propel Their Students Toward High
Performance”, Los Angeles, California, July 11, 2002.
Third National Forum of the Coalition for Community Schools, Keynote Address: "The Power
and Potential of Community Schools”, Washington, DC, June 23, 2002.
Public Corporation of the Arts Distinguished Arts Leadership Award, Long Beach, California,
May 30, 2002.
Panelist for the Education Writers Association and the Fred Friendly Dialogue on Testing and
School Reform, “Whose Truths? Perspectives, Perceptions and the Public Good”, Washington,
DC, April 26, 2002.
Presenter for 2002 AASA National Conference on Education, “Linkages to Learning: How the
Community School Approach Can Support Student Learning”, San Diego, California, February
17, 2002.
Presenter for 2002 AASA National Conference on Education, “The New Curriculum for Urban
School Leadership – From Survival to Thrival”, San Diego, California, February 16, 2002.
Frank Vessels, Jr. Award, Long Beach Century Club, Long Beach, California,
February 12, 2002.
Presenter for the National Association for Year-Round Education on “MultiTrack Student
Achievement Gains in Urban Areas: Year-Round Enhances the Bottom Line”, San Diego,
California, February 11, 2002.
Long Beach Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, Distinguished Citizen of the Year 2002, Long
Beach, California, February 7, 2002.
2001 Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education, New York, January 29, 2002.
The White House Summit on Early Childhood Cognitive Development—Ready to Read, Ready
to Learn, Washington, DC, July 26, 2001.
Boy Scouts of America, Learning for Life, Russell C. Hill Award, Long Beach, California, May
22, 2001.
Panelist for “Cross-Sectoral Alliance for Urban Problem Solving – A Project of the USC Urban
Initiative, University of Southern California, March 13, 2001.
Panelist for “Year Round School: New Century, New Ideas”, Southern Illinois University Public
Policy Institute, April 22-23, 2001.
Presenter for the Mississippi Superintendents Academy on “Superintendent and School Board
Perspectives on Urban Education, Jackson, Mississippi, March 8-9, 2001..
Panelist for “National Governors Association’s Human Resources Committee, Washington,
D.C., February 25, 2001.
Presenter for Urban Superintendents’ Meeting on “Models of Professional Development, Kansas
City, Missouri, February 9, 2001.
Panelist for “Understanding the State/Local School Districts’ Stance on the Changing Face of
Education”, Scottsdale, Arizona, January 18, 2001.
Freedom Fund Committee Award 2000, National Association for the Advancement of Colored
People, Long Beach, California, October 6, 2000.
Panelist for “Edison’s Fourth Annual National Client Conference”, Colorado Springs, October
16, 2001.
Excellence in Leadership Award, Leadership Long Beach, Long Beach, California, October 5,
2000.
Panelist for “ACSA 2000 Principals’ Center Summer Institute” University of California, Los
Angeles, July 19, 2000.
Speaker for California K-16 Partnerships & Student Success Conference, Keynote Address:
“The Challenge of Raising Achievement In California” California State University, Long Beach,
California, June 23, 2000.
Closing Executive Panelist for “California K-16 Partnerships & Student Success Conference”,
Topic: “Confronting the Challenge: A Speak Freely Discussion with California Education
Leaders”, California State University, Long Beach, California, June 23, 2000.
Panelist for “Wallace Readers Digest Fund “LEADERS Count” Conference, San Francisco, May
24, 2000.
Panelist for “Creating Powerful Professional Renewal in Schools”, Los Angeles, California,
April 1, 2000.
Moderator/Panelist for “Are California’s School Reforms on the Right Track?”, EdSource,
Ontario, March 30, 2000.
Panelist for “Supporting the Improvement of Achievement Outcomes in the Middle Grades”,
Long Beach, California, February 22, 2000.
Distinguished Educator Award, California State University, Los Angeles, Alhambra, November
4, 1999.
Panelist, Education into the 21st Century, California State University, Long Beach, California,
September 15, 1999.
Boys and Girls Clubs Gold Medallion Award, June, 1999.
Social Promotion and Retention Seminar “Creating the Future,” Orange County Department of
Education, Costa Mesa, March 15, 1999.
Community Hero, Public Safety Forum, Long Beach, March 20, 1999.
Marcus Foster Memorial Award for Administrator Excellence, Association of California School
Administrators, Santa Clara, November 5, 1998.
National School Safety Center’s School Safety Leadership Training, Anchorage, Alaska,
October 28, 1998.
Distinguished Arts Award for Arts Education, Long Beach, California, October 19, 1998.
“Safe Schools Strategy from A Superintendent’s Perspective,” National School Safety
Leadership Training, Westlake Village, California, May 15, 1998.
Panelist for “Reducing Violence in our Schools” and “Preparing our Children for Good Jobs in
the 21st Century”, Santa Monica, August 27, 1998.
“The Media, Reform and Research: Room for Improvement,” Town Hall Presentation at the
Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, California,
April, 1998.
“Representing Reform: A Video and Four Perspectives on School Change, “Symposium
Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the American Education Research Association, San
Diego, California, April, 1998.
Ford Foundation Distinguished Lecture Series, “Improving Student Achievement in Urban
Schools,” University of Southern California, February 5, 1998.
Annenberg Forum on Urban School Reform, WQED, Boston, Mass., January 29, 1998.
Sommelier d’Esprit Award Winner - Long Beach Legal Aid Foundation, 1998.
"Raising Standards in Urban Education," Crenshaw-Dorsey Cluster Symposium, Los Angeles
Unified School District, February 25 & 26, 1997.
Leadership for Learning Award - Urban Honorable Mention, 1997.
"School Uniforms and the American Presidency: The Long Beach Story," The National
Conference on Education, Orlando, Florida, February 14, 1997.
Lead Panelist for "Working Together to Serve Children at Risk," National School Boards
Association Annual Leadership Conference, Washington, D.C., January 24, 1997.
California School Boards Association, Golden Bell Award, School Uniforms, December 7, 1996.
"High Standards, High-level Courses, and Highly Trained Teachers - Moving Forward on the
Civil Rights Issues of the Nineties," 1st Education Trust Conference and 7th AAHE Conference
on School/College Collaboration, Washington, D.C., November 23, 1996.
U.S. Department of Education, Blue Ribbon Panel, Model Professional Development Initiative,
November 15, 1996.
Torchbearer Award, Southern California Association of Black Journalists, Los Angeles,
California, October 12, 1996.
National Advisory Council on Violence Against Women, Janet Reno and Donna Shalala Cochairs, Washington, D.C., July 18, 1996.
White House Conference on Youth Drug Use and Violence, Washington, D.C., March 7, 1996.
Presidential Roundtable - Youth Drug Use and Violence, Greenbelt, Maryland, March 7, 1996.
Presidential Roundtable - School Uniforms. Long Beach, California, February 24, 1996.
Mary Ann Alia Memorial Lecture, "University/P-12 Collaboration: A New Partnership for the
Next Millennium," California State University, Los Angeles, September 20, 1995.
Hearing on Discipline Issues, U.S. Senate Labor and Human Resources Subcommittee on
Disability Policy, Washington, D.C., July 11, 1995.
"Using a Required School Uniform Policy to Combat the Growing Gang Influence in an Urban
School System," 3rd Joint national Conference on Gangs, Schools and Community, Washington,
D.C., May 5, 1995.
MEMBERSHIPS IN PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
American Association of School Administrators (AASA)
American Educational Research Association (AERA)
Association of California Urban School Districts (ACUSD)
Association of California School Administrators (ACSA)
Urban Superintendents' Network, WestEd
Urban Superintendent’s Program, Harvard University
Public School Services/Urban Education Dialog
SERVICE ACTIVITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS
California Task Force on Special Education, a collaboration of the California Department of
Education, the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing and the State Board of
Education, Co-Chair
Teaching Works, University of Michigan, Advisory Board Member
ACT, Inc., Chair, Board of Directors
National Technical Advisory Committee, US Department of Education, Member
National Task Force on Strategic Management of Human Capital, Vice-Chair
Broad Prize Review Team, Member
AACTE, Advisory Council on Teacher Performance Assessment, Member
National Research Council, Independent Evaluation of the DC Public Schools, Expert Panel
Member
Gates Foundation, Advisory Council for Teacher Effectiveness Grant, Member
Center for Reform of School Systems, Board Member
National Center for Urban School Transformation, Executive Coach
National Center for Educational Statistics, TUDA Ambassador Program of NAEP, Consultant
Gates Foundation, Consultant
Broad Foundation, Consultant
Ed Source Board of Directors, President
WestEd Board of Directors, Member
CASEL Board of Directors, Member
California Academic Partnership Program, Advisor
Center on Educational Governance (USC), Board Member
Los Angeles Unified School District, Consultant
Chicago Public Schools, Consultant
Little Rock, Arkansas Public Schools, Consultant
Compton Unified School District, Consultant
San Diego Chamber of Commerce, Member
Boy Scouts of America, San Diego-Imperial Council, Board Member
San Diego Symphony, Board Member
Classics for Kids, Board Member
YMCA of San Diego County, Board Member; Human Resources Committee Member
Association of California School Administrators (ACSA), Region 18 Assembly Delegate
Foundation for the Improvement of Mathematics and Science Education (FIMSE), Board Chair
National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB), 2004-2006
Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Administrative Shortage Task Force, Chair
Advisory Board of the San Pedro Region of Catholic Charities, Member
Advisory Committee for the Public Schools Accountability Act of 1999, Co-Chair
African-American Men's Forum, Board Member
Boys and Girls Clubs of America Schools Outreach Task Force, Member
Boy Scouts of America, Western Region, Board Member
California Academy of Math and Science, Board of Governors
Center for Civic Education, Board of Directors
Children's Clinic, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Board of Directors
Child Guidance Center, Board of Directors
Child Guidance Center, Member of the Advisory Board
Finance Project and Ford Foundation, Member of the Advisory Group
Junior League of Long Beach, Community Advisory Board
Leadership Long Beach, Honorary Board of Governors
Long Beach Community Partnership, Board of Directors
Long Beach Education Foundation, Board of Directors
Long Beach National Conference, Board Member
Long Beach Rotary, Member
Long Beach Symphony Association, Board of Directors
U.S. Department of Justice National Advisory Council on Violence Against Women, Member
National Conference for Community and Justice Humanitarian Society, Member
National School Safety Center, Consultant
R.M. Pyles Boys Camp, Board of Directors
Safe Schools Task Force, Co-Chair
St. Mary Medical Center Community Board, Member
Sylvan Learning K-12 Advisory Group, Founding Member
United Way, Board of Directors
YMCA of Greater Long Beach, Metropolitan Board of Directors
GRADUATE COURSES TAUGHT
Collective Bargaining in Education
Doctoral Dissertation Seminar
Education Policy and Governance
Educational Leadership
History of Urban Education
Personnel Administration
Politics of Education
Politics of Urban School Reform
Research Methods Seminar
School Administration Simulation
School Community Relations
Seminar in Urban Educational Administration
Social and Political Forces in School Administration
Strategic Management of Human Capital in High-Performing School Districts
REFERENCE
Placement and Career Planning Center
Office of Educational Career Services
University of California, Los Angeles
405 Hilgard Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90024
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