David J. Chard

Dr. David J. Chard is a professor of special education at Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. Previously, Dr. Chard was dean of BU Wheelock and president of Wheelock College before its merger with Boston University. He was also founding dean of the Simmons School of Education and Human Development at SMU in Dallas, Texas.

During his time as dean of BU Wheelock, Dr. Chard has led the college through a significant vision setting and strategic planning process resulting in a Guide Star focused on equity and justice. Under his leadership, BU Wheelock raised more than $21 million in student scholarship and faculty support, including three new endowed professorships.

With a focus on hiring strong education researchers, the college more than doubled the amount of external funding for research since 2018 and now hosts several research centers and institutes, including the National Center on Improving Literacy, funded by the US Department of Education. In addition, the college created a number of national and international academic partnerships and refocused its efforts to be a strategic partner with the Boston Public Schools.

Prior to becoming an academic leader, Dr. Chard was an active researcher focused on studying instructional practices that are most effective at meeting the needs of students with learning disabilities. He has directed or co-directed grants and contracts totaling more than $15.5 million. He has held faculty positions at Boston University, the University of Texas at Austin, and the University of Oregon.

A frequent presenter at national and international education conferences, Dr. Chard taught courses in education leadership and special education. He served on more than 30 doctoral dissertation committees across a range of disciplines and has published more than 100 articles, monographs, book chapters, and books. He is the author of numerous instructional programs on early literacy, language arts, and mathematics spanning K–12 education and has been a classroom teacher in California, Michigan, and in the US Peace Corps in Lesotho in southern Africa.

Dr. Chard is a member of the International Academy for Research in Learning Disabilities, and has served in leadership roles in numerous professional organizations. He also serves as a board member for several national nonprofits. Nominated by President Barack Obama,  he served two terms on the National Board for Education Sciences, including chairing the board for three years.

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In the Media

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