Donyall D. Dickey

Donyall D. Dickey, Ed.D. is a nationally recognized authority on curriculum, instruction, organizational development, and administration of schools. Unparalleled levels of student achievement and school improvement distinguish Dr. Dickey’s 17-year career as an educational leader. A native of Texas City, Texas – Dickey is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Loyola University – Maryland, and George Washington University – D.C., where he earned a doctorate in Educational Leadership & Policy and wrote a ground-breaking dissertation on resilience and African American males.

Dickey began his career as a third grade teacher in the Baltimore City Schools before becoming a high school English literature/SAT prep teacher and assistant principal in the Baltimore County Public School System. After four years as an assistant principal, Donyall served as a principal in the Baltimore City Public School System before his 6-year tenure as a principal in the Howard County Public School System. Unparalleled levels of student achievement and school improvement characterized his career as a site-based, instructional leader, including having led the lowest performing middle school in Howard County to the most significant gains on the Maryland School Assessment, outgaining more than 3,000 schools.

Through strategic planning; his knowledge of curriculum and instruction; and attention to the professional development delivery model, Dr. Dickey replicated significant gains on a larger scale as a Regional Superintendent of Schools in Philadelphia, where he managed a diverse network of 33 schools. In the role of Regional Superintendent of Schools, Dickey led the cohort of elementary, K-8, and neighborhood high schools to the most significant gains in English/reading and Mathematics on the Pennsylvania State Assessments in the city of Philadelphia.

Dr. Dickey also served as the Chief Academic Officer of the School District of Philadelphia, where he was responsible for academic programming for 220 schools and 160,000 students. He also managed nine major district-wide departments, including Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment; Special Education; Multi-lingual Curriculum & Programs; School Improvement & Data Support; Career & Technology Education; Early Childhood Education; School Scheduling and Organization; College Readiness; and Academic Enrichment.

Later, Dr. Dickey served students and families in Atlanta as the Chief Schools Officer and Chief Academic Officer of the Atlanta Public Schools where he managed a team of seven Associate & Assistant Superintendents as well as the offices of Teaching & Learning, Curriculum & Instruction, Early Childhood Education, Student Services, Organizational & Professional Learning, Federal Grants, Student Discipline, College & Career Readiness, School Support; Summer & After School Programs and a $450M budget.

All while improving student and organizational outcomes as a prek-12 leader, Dr. Dickey has been building a successful publishing and professional development firm – Educational Epiphany. As the Chief Executive Officer and lead consultant for Educational Epiphany, Dr. Dickey has authored and published 33 books, including 22 teacher resource books on the internationally benchmarked Common Core State Standards for English/Reading, Social Studies, Science, the Technical Subjects, & Mathematics and 11 teacher resource books on the Texas Essential Knowledge & Skills.

Dr. Dickey’s ideas for school improvement and organizational effectiveness are used to improve the lived schooling experience for children across the nation. As the Chief Executive Officer and Lead Consultant for Educational Epiphany, Dr. Dickey’s and his national consulting team is currently partnering with urban, suburban, and rural school districts as a provider of standards-based instructional materials for the core content areas and turnaround professional development for teachers, school leaders, central office personnel, state departments of education, colleges & universities, and professional organizations.