Jim LaPrad, Ph.D.
Illinois Regional Hub Contact - Macomb, IL
Jim LaPrad, Ph.D. is the Director of the School of Education at Western Illinois University where he is a Professor of Philosophical and Social Foundations of Education teaching courses in the social foundations of education from philosophical, historical, legal, and socio-cultural perspectives to teacher candidates, in-service teachers, and educational leaders. His research, scholarship and practice include critical pedagogy in teaching and learning environments, experiential education, educational ethics, multicultural education, transformative educational leadership and P-12 educational reform. He is a former high school and middle school teacher in Virginia, Outward Bound instructor, and big brother with Big Brothers and Big Sisters. He served in the United States Marine Corps as an Infantry Officer from 1988-1996 and received his B.S. in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame and his M.Ed. and Ph.D. in Social Foundations of Education from the University of Virginia. He is currently serving as a board member for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Warren and McDonough Counties, as the chairperson for the National Rural Education Association’s (NREA) Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Team (EDIT) and is in his third elected term on the Macomb Community Unit School District #185 Board of Education.