Debra Smith, PhD

Director

Debra became PERG’s director in the fall of 2008. With over thirty years of experience in research, program development and evaluation, she has also taught in a variety of settings from Kindergarten to graduate school. Debra has evaluated a range of projects, specializing in:

• Professional learning communities
• Collaborative inquiry
• Arts curriculum
• Student assessment
• School reform and
• Equity and diversity

Prior work
Debra was founding director of the Collaborative Inquiry and Development Group at the University of Southern Maine. She also directed research and development projects with K-12 schools and districts in the Southern Maine Partnership for many years.

Education and Professional Memberships

• Ph.D., Educational Studies, Student Assessment and Teacher Metacognition,
• Lesley University, 2000
• M.Ed., Learning Environments, Independent Studies Program, Lesley College, 1978
• B.A., Art, University of Massachusetts Boston, 1976