James V. Shuls

James V. Shuls is an associate professor in the College of Education at the University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL). Dr. Shuls is also the graduate program director of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at UMSL. He formerly served as the director of education policy for the Show-Me Institute, where he is currently a senior fellow. Previously, he taught first grade and fifth grade in the Republic School District (RSD) in Republic, Missouri. Dr. Shuls primarily focuses on teacher labor markets, school finance, and school choice. He has served as an expert witness in the school finance case Martinez/Yazzie v. State of New Mexico. His research has been published in various scholarly journals, such as: Social Science Quarterly, The Rural Educator, Educational Policy, the Journal of Education Finance, and the Journal of School Choice: International Research and Reform, where he serves on the editorial board. Additionally, he has been featured in numerous popular print publications and has made many appearances on talk radio programs and television news. Dr. Shuls  holds a PhD in education policy from the University of Arkansas, an MA in elementary education from Missouri State University, and a BA degree in elementary education from Missouri Southern State University.

updated 2024