Betty Malen

Betty Malen is a professor emeritus of education in the Department of Education Policy and Leadership at the University of Maryland (UM), where she taught and researched education for three decades. She was also an affiliate professor in the UM School of Public Policy. A former public school administrator, she previously held professorial positions at the University of Utah and the University of Washington. Malen's research on education politics and policy brought the discipline of political science to the examination of education problems; it relied heavily on the effective application of case study designs and qualitative research methods. She is recognized for her work on the political determinants and the substantive effects of prominent education reforms. Malen received her PhD in educational leadership and policy studies from the University of Minnesota.

updated 2025