MICHAEL SIMKINS, Ed.D.

Dr. Michael Simkins is a senior educator, analyst, writer and speaker with a national reputation in the field of educational technology.  During his 38-year career, he has served as a teacher, school principal, director of state and federal programs, and university lecturer.  In each position, he has been in the vanguard in leveraging technology to improve the educational process.

From 2001 to 2008, Dr. Simkins served as creative director and then director of the statewide Technology Information Center for Administrative Leadership (TICAL). Funded by the California Department of Education, TICAL's mission is to help California's 25,000 school administrators use technology effectively to advance the state's educational goals.  During Dr. Simkins' tenure TICAL developed the first online professional learning community tailored to the needs of principals, superintendents, and other school leaders.  Through its web portal, regional training, and annual conference, TICAL strives to keep school leaders current in the areas of technology planning, maintenance and operation of technology, integrating technology in standards-based curriculum, professional development, data-driven decision making, and financial planning.

Prior to assuming leadership at TICAL, Dr. Simkins worked in various roles of increasing responsibility at Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network (JVSV).  JVSV is known internationally as a model of business-government-education collaboration.  JVSV recruited Dr. Simkins to serve as director of Challenge 2000, the technology component of its 21st Century Education Initiative.  Challenge 2000 was one of the original Technology Innovation Challenge Grants, funded with a $6.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education during the Clinton administration.  The program was so successful that in 2000, a federal expert panel cited it as one of only two "exemplary" educational technology programs in the nation.  While at JVSV, Dr. Simkins also led the organization's efforts to develop community technology centers and served as Chief Operating Officer and acting CEO.

During nine years as principal of Baywood Elementary School, Dr. Simkins led the school to become a regional leader in applying technology to education.  Baywood was the first school in the area to network its computers, connect to the Internet, and host its own web site.  Because of the school's success with technology, Dr. Simkins was asked to chair the committee that developed the school district's first master technology plan.  Dr. Simkins also served as a technology mentor for other administrators in the region.

In addition to his various full-time positions, Dr. Simkins has served in a variety of consulting capacities.  He is a certified trainer for Microsoft's Building Schools for the 21st Century Program and Palm's educator training program.  He regularly leads workshops for the Association of California School Administrators.  He has served as a reviewer for the Small Business Innovation Research Program and the Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology Program.  He has consulted for numerous organizations including the Institute for the New California, New York City public schools, Mississippi State University, SRI International, Keck/USC School of Medicine, WestEd, Canter/Laureate Education, the International Society for Technology and Education, Computer Using Educators, Inc., the departments of education for the states of California, Arkansas and Delaware, Santa Fe Institute, and the U.S. Department of Education.

Dr. Simkins received his B.A. degree cum laude from the University of California at Santa Barbara with a major in political science and a minor in history.  He earned his master's and doctorate degrees from UCLA.  In his master's program, he specialized in teacher education and completed a sub-specialization in educational policy and planning.  His doctoral focus was curriculum and the study of schooling, and his cognate field was sociotechnical systems theory. Dr. Simkins has also pursued postdoctoral study at Harvard and Stanford universities.

Partial List of Publications