Leslie W. Grant

Profile

Leslie W. Grant is an Associate Professor of Education in the Educational Policy, Planning, and Leadership Department. Her research interests focus on classroom-based assessments and international comparisons of teaching and learning. She is involved in several research projects, including international comparative case studies of award-winning teachers in the United States and China and the efficacy of development assessment literacy in pre-service teachers, in-service teachers, and educational leaders. Dr. Grant began her career in education as a middle school teacher and later served as a test developer, content editor and item writer for the California Testing Bureau (CTB/McGraw-Hill).

Dr. Grant is the co-author of several books and articles, including West Meets East: Best Practices from Expert Teachers in the United States and China (ASCD, 2014), Teacher-Made Assessments: How to Connect Curriculum, Instruction, and Student Learning (Routledge, 2015), and Student Achievement Goal Setting: Using Data to Improve Teaching and Learning (Routledge, 2009). She is a past president of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) and of the Consortium for Research on Educational Assessment and Teaching Effectiveness (CREATE), serving on the board of directors for both organizations. Dr. Grant frequently works with schools and school districts, both within the United States and internationally, and presents at international, national, and state level conferences in the areas of classroom-based assessments, the use of data to improve student learning, and cross-cultural comparisons of effective teaching practices. In addition, she consults with state education agencies and international schools on the development of assessment systems.

Education

Ph.D. in Educational Policy, Planning, and Leadership, College of William and Mary
Ed.S. in Curriculum and Instruction, George Washington University
M.S.Ed. in Educational Administration, Old Dominion University 
B.A. in History, James Madison University

Activities and Honors

Studio for Teaching and Learning Innovation Excellence in Teaching Faculty Fellowship, 2024-25

Strategic & Cultural Partnerships Faculty Fellowship, 2023-24

Reves Center for International Studies Faculty Fellowship, 2022-23

Dorman Family Term Distinguished Associate Professor, 2019–22

William & Mary Woman of Influence, 2019–20

Selected Publications

Grant, L.W., Stronge, J.H., Smucker, A., Mendizabal, P., & Mo, Y. (2024). Effective international school teachers: A systematic review. Journal for Research in International Education, 23(2), 111 - 129.

Xu, X., Grant, L.W., & Stronge, J. H. (2022). Dispositions and practices of effective teachers: Meeting the needs of at-risk minority students in China. Chinese Education and Society, 55(3), 147 – 164.

Grant, L.W., Stronge, J.H., & Xu, X. (Eds.). (2021). International beliefs and practices that characterize teacher effectiveness. IGI Global.

Gareis, C.R., & Grant, L.W. (2015). Teacher-made assessments: How to connect curriculum, instruction, and student learning (2nd ed.). Routledge.

Grant, L.W., Stronge, J.H., Xu, X., Popp, P.A., Sun, Y., & Little, C.A. (2014). West meets east: Best practices of expert teachers in the U.S. and China. ASCD.

Popp, P.A., Grant, L.W., & Stronge, J.H. (2011). Effective teachers for at-risk or highly mobile students: What are the dispositions and behaviors of award-winning teachers? Journal of Education for Students Placed At Risk 16(4), 275 - 291. doi: 10.1080/10824669.2011.610236

Stronge, J. H., Ward, T. J., & Grant, L.W. (2011). What makes good teachers good? A cross-case analysis of the connection between teacher effectiveness and student achievement. Journal of Teacher Education, 62(4), 339 – 355. doi: 10.1177/0022487111404241