Rate My Professor Brian Coleman

Brian Coleman, Ed.D., serves as Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership in Drake University’s School of Education. He joined the faculty in fall 2024 as Clinical Assistant Professor of Practice in Educational Leadership, contributing his extensive over 35 years of K-12 education experience. Coleman’s academic credentials include a Bachelor of Science from Illinois State University, a Master of Arts from Northern Illinois University, and a Doctor of Education from Roosevelt University. These qualifications enable him to provide grounded instruction in educational administration and leadership.

Coleman’s professional journey is rooted in Cary Elementary School District 26 in Cary, Illinois, where he started his career as a science teacher at Cary Junior High School. Advancing through leadership roles, he served as principal of Briargate Elementary School and Oak Knoll Elementary School. He then ascended to the position of superintendent, leading the district for 16 years until his retirement at the end of the 2022-23 school year. His long-term contract extensions, including one through June 2016, underscore his effective stewardship during his tenure.

In his current role at Drake, Coleman coordinates the superintendent licensure endorsement program and teaches pivotal courses within the principal and superintendent preparation tracks. His teaching portfolio encompasses School Policy, Influence, and Legal Issues, which examines governance and legal frameworks; Educational Leadership and the Profession, focusing on professional standards; Human Resource Dynamics, addressing personnel management; Organizational and System Behavior, exploring institutional dynamics; Managing Schools, covering operational leadership; and the Superintendent Clinical Seminar, providing practical application. These courses are part of Drake’s Specialist in Education, Masters in Educational Leadership, and doctoral programs in leadership. Through this work, Coleman bridges theory and practice, preparing the next generation of school leaders.