FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact:

Jill A. Perry, Ph.D.
Executive Director, CPED
(412) 624-7272
[email protected]

Michael Loch
Communications Manager, CPED
(513) 515-8975
[email protected]

Statement by the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate in Response to The Wall Street Journal Op-Ed on Dr. Jill Biden and the Education Doctorate

PITTSBURGH (December 16, 2020) – As a professional academic consortium of 117 university schools of education that seeks to advance the importance and rigor of the education doctorate, the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED) denounces The Wall Street Journal’s publication of Joseph Epstein’s belittling op-ed towards Dr. Jill Biden and disregard for her doctorate degree. We call for a retraction and apology from the Journal for not only publishing the misinformed and offensive opinion piece, but also for its disgraceful contribution of blatant misogyny to public discourse.

The education doctorate (Ed.D.) is the professional practice degree for leaders in education. It is earned through rigorous preparation in graduate degree programs at over 400 accredited colleges and universities, including the University of Delaware where Dr. Biden earned her Ed.D.

The education doctorate consists of coursework and clinical experience that culminates in a professional practice dissertation that attests to the knowledge, disposition and skill necessary to be a leader in education. While the Ed.D. is recognized as the equivalent of the Ph.D. in the Carnegie Classification System, Ed.D. programs have a focus on preparing professional practitioners of education, including community college instructors like Dr. Biden.

“As the 2020-2021 academic year marks the 100th anniversary of the education doctorate, CPED celebrates those who hold it,” says CPED executive director Dr. Jill A. Perry. “They have worked tirelessly in their studies and know how to apply rigorous, evidence-based research to address complex problems in educational systems.”

Today, education doctorates are superintendents and principals who lead local schools, leaders of community colleges and universities, and are hundreds of educational professionals advancing innovation and equity in the field. They lead and teach across all sectors and levels of education –public, private, nonprofit and beyond.

“We are proud that Dr. Jill Biden is an education doctorate holder and that she is using her expertise to make a positive impact on education, especially as a teacher and community college advocate” says CPED board chair Dr. David G. Imig. “Her platform will illuminate the leadership of education doctorate graduates across the country who are transforming education to meet the educational challenges of the 21st century.”

CPED supports and encourages all graduates of duly earned doctoral degrees to proudly use the title of “Dr.” they worked so hard to achieve. It is important to recognize the dedicated work and achievements of professionals who have committed their careers and countless hours to achieve doctoral status and advance their fields of study.

About the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED)

The Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED) is the knowledge forum on the Ed.D. with a membership of over 100 colleges and schools of education, which have committed resources to work together to undertake a critical examination of the doctorate in education (Ed.D.) through dialog, experimentation, critical feedback and evaluation. CPED’s vision is to transform the Ed.D. by inspiring all schools of education to apply the CPED Framework© to the preparation of educational leaders by becoming well-equipped scholarly practitioners who provide stewardship of the profession and meet the educational challenges of the 21st century. 

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