Jianping Shen

Gwen Frostic Endowed Chair for Research and Innovation and John E. Sandberg Professor of Education, Department of Educational Leadership, Research and Technology, College of Education and Human Development,

Western Michigan University

Jianping Shen is the John E. Sandberg Professor of Education in the Department of Educational Leadership, Research and Technology in the College of Education and Human Development at Western Michigan University. At Western, he is also the Gwen Frostic Endowed Chair for Research and Innovation and directs both the Merze Tate Center for Grants and Innovation and the Center for Educational Leadership and Policy. His research interests and specialties include leadership theory, data-informed decision making, teacher retention and attrition, alternative certification, systemic change, and others, using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. He has published extensively in English, including six books, more than 80 articles, and about 20 book chapters. His research appears in prestigious journals such as the American Educational Research Journal, Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, and the American Journal of Education. Shen earned his PhD in educational leadership from the University of Washington.

updated 2025

Contributing topics

College access & postsecondary success

Understanding, measuring & improving student outcomes

Commentary by Jianping Shen