Sharon Conley

Sharon Conley is professor of education at University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). She has previously taught at the University of Arizona, Tucson, and the University of Maryland, College Park. She has authored publications in the areas of organizational behavior and theory in schools, educational reform, and the managerial work environments of teachers. Among the aspects of school organization she has studied are organizational routines and systems of employee compensation. She has also been particularly interested in how schools might better support the work efforts of teachers as professionals. Her publications include the 2013 book, Moving from Teacher Isolation to Collaboration: Enhancing Professionalism and School Quality (with Bruce S. Cooper, Rowman & Littlefield) focusing on how collaboration and teamwork can help enhance professionalism and school quality by overcoming teachers’ isolation in the classroom, in the school, and in their work. She is also author of the 2017 journal article, “Key influences on special education teachers’ intention to leave: The effects of administrative support and teacher team efficacy in a mediational model” (with Sukkyung You, Educational Management Administration & Leadership) focusing on several school workplace predictors of teachers’ intentions to leave. She has been active in a variety of collaborative projects with regional and national education and policy organizations. Sharon received her MA, EdS, and PhD degrees from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.