Job Title
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Adjunct Instructor
Ed.D. in K-12 Administration, Graduate School
Highlight
Highlights Dr. Sullivan served for about 30 years in the Office of Government Relations in the Minnesota Department of Education, where he coordinated the development of state education policy recommendations to the legislature; interpreted state and federal education regulations for school leaders and the public; and acted as a liaison between the department and other federal and state agencies. Included in these tasks were yearly, detailed summaries of new state laws along with presentations and workshops for superintendents and other school personnel. Other MDE duties included representing the Commissioner of Education by serving on the state's Teachers Retirement Board for about 20 years and serving as the commissioner’s representative with nonpublic schools. This latter duty included leading the Nonpublic Education Council for many years. With a colleague at the University of Minnesota, he conducted several case studies of education policy issues, which have been published in books and journals. He also still does some consulting involving interpretation of education laws and rules for school leaders and the general public.
Started at Bethel
2000
Education
- St. Cloud State University - B.A., 1970
- University of North Dakota - M.A., 1973
- University of Minnesota - Ph.D., 1980
Biography
Highlights
Dr. Sullivan served for about 30 years in the Office of Government Relations in the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), where he coordinated the development of state education policy recommendations to the legislature; interpreted state and federal education law for school leaders and the public; and acted as a liaison between the department and other federal and state agencies. Included in these tasks were yearly, detailed written summaries of new state laws along with presentations at workshops for superintendents, principals, and other public school personnel; nonpublic school conferences; a law firm; local higher education classes; and other venues.
Other MDE duties included representing the Commissioner of Education on the state's Teachers Retirement Board for about 20 years and serving as the commissioner's representative with nonpublic schools. This latter duty included leading the Nonpublic Education Council for many years.
With a colleague at the University of Minnesota, he conducted several case studies of education policy issues, which have been published in books and journals. In addition to serving as an adjunct faculty member at Bethel, he does consulting work involving interpretation of education laws and rules.
Publications
With a colleague at the University of Minnesota, he conducted several case studies of education policy issues, which have been published in books and journals.
Presentations
Numerous presentations over the last 40 years. Before retiring from the Minnesota Department of Education, these included yearly updates on changes in laws and interpretations before school superintendent groups throughout the state, other school groups, the general public, and media. Currently, Dr. Sullivan still provides occassional presentations to school leaders.
Hobbies and Interests
Reading, travel, and helping care for grandchildren.
Areas of expertise
Education law and policymaking.
Teaching specialty
My teaching has focused primarily on school laws and education policy making at various levels of government. Using topical education issues, I have sought to help students apply various social science techniques to study how and why specific education policies are formed. In my legal issues courses, I try to bring special focus on how teachers and school administrators could apply knowledge of current education "laws" (state and federal statutes, rules and regulations, court cases, and school policies) in practical, real life school duties.