Joan Dabrowski, Ed.D.

Joan Dabrowski is an educational leader with more than 30 years of experience advancing teaching, learning, and system improvement across PreK–12education. She has held senior leadership roles in large urban and suburban school districts, as well as in consulting and higher education roles, with expertise spanning academic strategy, curriculum and instruction, program implementation, literacy leadership, professional learning, and organizational improvement. Most recently, Joan was the Chief Academic Officer for Baltimore City Public Schools, where she provided strategic leadership for the district’s academic programs and oversaw more than 300 staff and an annual budget of approximately $200 million. Her portfolio included Early Learning, Teaching and Learning, Multilingual Learning, Special Education, College and Career Readiness, Professional Learning, Instructional Technology, and Summer Learning. Previously, she served as Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning in Wellesley Public Schools, where she led PreK–12 academic programming and worked collaboratively with district leaders, educators, and community partners to advance district priorities.

A former classroom teacher, literacy director, district literacy coach, and education consultant, Joan brings a deep commitment to connecting research, policy, and practice. She has supported school systems nationally in curriculum development, literacy improvement, professional learning, and leadership development. Her work has included partnerships with The Education Trust, New Leaders for New Schools, and multiple urban and suburban school districts. She is the co-author of Interactive Writing Across Grades: A Small Practice with Big Results PreK–5.

Joan holds an Ed.D. in Leadership, Policy, and Organization from Vanderbilt University, an Ed.M. from Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a B.A. with honors from Elmhurst College. She was a member of the 2024–2025 cohort of The Broad Center’s Fellowship for Public Education Leadership at Yale School of Management.

Explore the GSE’s educational leadership program offerings.

• Expertise & Research Interest
  • Educational Leadership
  • System Improvement
  • Organizational Leadership/District-School Relationships
  • Curriculum Development & Implementation
  • Professional Learning
  • Strategic Planning & Continuous Improvement
  • Literacy Leadership
  • Leading High Performing Teams
• Publications

  Dabrowski, J. & Reed Marshall, T. (2019). Autonomy and personalization in assignments help motivate and engagestudents. Principal 98 (3), 10-13.

  Dabrowski, J. & Reed Marshall, T. (2018). Motivation and engagement in student assignments: The role of choice andrelevancy. Washington DC: The Education Trust.

  Dabrowski, J. & Roth K. (2016). Interactive writing: A guided approach for writing instruction PreK-5.Literacy Today, 33 (5).

  Dabrowski, J. (2016). Checking In: More assignments from real classrooms. Washington DC: The Education Trust.

  Roth, K. & Dabrowski, J. (2016). Interactive writing across grades: A small practice with big results. PreK-5. Portland, ME: Stenhouse, Inc.

  Santelises, S.B. & Dabrowski, J. (2015). Checking in: Do classroom assignments reflect today’s higher standards? Washington DC: The Education Trust.

  Roth, K. & Dabrowski, J. (2014). Interactive writing: Extending a powerful practice into Grades 2-5. The Reading Teacher, 68 (1), 33-44.

  Eckert, J. & Dabrowski, J.(2010). Should value-added measures be used for performance pay? Phi Delta Kappan, 91(8), 88-92.