Biography

Dr. Kenneth Alonzo Anderson, a former middle school teacher, earned a Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction, with a minor in Educational Research and Policy Analysis from North Carolina State University in 2005. Anderson has also completed additional statistical training at Northwestern University, Stanford University, and the University of Michigan. Anderson is Professor and Associate Dean in the School of Education at Howard University.

Anderson’s primary research interests include examining education policies and practices that aim to improve schools, safety and climate, computational literacy, and teacher effectiveness. Anderson is noted for his ability to conduct large-scale data analysis, translate results, and provide professional development for practitioners and policymakers. In 2020, Anderson was invited to serve as a contributor, by the National Institute of Justice, to an in-progress report to Congress on school policing. Working through the United States Department of Education’s Regional Education Laboratory (REL) Appalachia, Anderson served as Principal Investigator on a longitudinal, statewide disciplinary data analysis project with the Virginia Department of Education to inform strategies for minimizing suspensions and referrals to law enforcement.

Anderson recently co-authored a policy brief on school safety and SROs and his research has appeared in journals such as Journal of Teacher Education, Teachers College Record, Middle Grades Review, Journal of Negro Education, and Journal of Computer Science Integration. Anderson recently conducted a statewide evaluation of the relationship between increased use of school resource officers and school safety outcomes. Anderson has served as Principal Investigator, Co-Principal Investigator, or Senior Personnel on externally funded projects, exceeding 3 million dollars from organizations such as the U.S. Department of Education, National Science Foundation, and the American Educational Research Association.