Profile

Dr. Eric Parker is an experienced and recognized educator and school leader as well as author and college professor. Prior to working with Franklin University, he served as an Executive Director in the College of Education at Eastern Kentucky University and as an adjunct professor at the University of the Cumberlands years prior. His other key leadership experiences include several years as a middle and high school principal in Atlanta and Gwinnett County as well as an Assistant Superintendent position with Montgomery Public Schools in Alabama focusing on school leadership and improvement.

He grew up in the Atlanta area attending Tucker High School then went on to receive his undergraduate education at Radford University in Virginia where he gained a strong interest in science and education while playing Division-I college basketball. Following graduation, he began teaching and coaching while simultaneously working on graduate degrees in educational leadership and curriculum and instruction from Jacksonville State University, Argosy University, and most recently earning an Executive MBA from the University of Georgia.

Dr. Parker has been recognized by three national organizations for exemplary school leadership and has been selected twice by the U.S. Department of Education to work on policy initiatives and legislation focused on educational equity and access, most recently on the committee crafting the recent ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act). He also holds several memberships on various educational committees and organizations both nationally and internationally focusing on school improvement through leadership development as well as teacher quality and retention. His current role is serving as the principal of Tucker High School in DeKalb County Georgia, his alma mater.

Career Highlights & Recognitions

• Selected to inaugural DeKalb One Business Fellowship & the Metro Atlanta P-20 Collaborative (2020)
• Selected to the NISL (National Institute for School Leadership) Executive Development Program (2017)
• Selected to Global Educational Policy Fellowship Program, Institute for Educational Leadership (2017)
• Selected member the cohort for the “Alabama Superintendents Academy”, University of Alabama (2016)
• Selected by U.S. Department of Education as one of ten members of the “ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) Negotiated Rulemaking Committee” (2016)
• Selected in the third cohort of the America Achieves Fellowship for Teachers and Principals (2014) 

• Selected by Phi Delta Kappa International as an “Emerging Leader” (2014) 

• Selected by U.S. Department of Education as a “Race to the Top” District Peer Reviewer; (2013)
• Selected by ASCD (Association for Curriculum Development) as an “Emerging Leader” (2013)
• Selected for Education Policy Fellowship Program (GA Partnership for Excellence in Education) (2013)
• Member of original GCPS Quality Plus Leader Academy Cohort (2007)

Presentations and Publications:

Parker, E.S. (2017), Equity and Achievement in P-16 Education: Strategies for Closing Opportunity Gaps for African American Students. In, A. Ogechi, (Eds.), Reevaluating the Black Experience in Higher Education in Africa and the United States: Struggles, Survival, and Successes (pp 8-19). Richmond: Eastern Kentucky University Libraries.

Parker, E.S. (2015). What’s Needed in Today’s Teacher Education Programs? Kaplan Magazine, 40(136), 82.

Parker, E. (2014, February). Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing. Principal Leadership Magazine. 12(5), 42-26.

Parker, E.S. (2014). Closing the Opportunity Gap: Meeting the Unique Needs of High-Poverty Schools. Principal Leadership Magazine, 15(3), 40-44.

Parker, E.S. (2007). An Analysis of Factors Affecting the Representation of African-American Students in AP (Advanced Placement) Classes in a Large Georgia High School. (Doctoral Dissertation), Argosy University, Atlanta.

Presentations

Parker, E. (2021). Closing Achievement Gaps & Increasing SWD Graduation Rates. Presented to Georgia P20 Consortium. School Improvement Conference

Parker, E.S., Griffith, K.G. (2017). Effective Collaboration with School Counselors, Administrators, and University Partnerships. Presented at GSCA (Georgia School Counselor Association) Conference.

Parker, E. (2017). Examples of Successful School Leadership and Accountability Structures. Presented at Sino-American Educational Leadership Forum, Southwest University. Chongquing, China.

Parker, E.S. (2017). Developing a School Leadership Pipeline That Supports Teachers. Presented at IEAl-J (Institute for Educational Administration & Leadership- Jamaica) Conference. Kingston, Jamaica.

Parker, E., Johnson, R. (2016) NWEA: Using the OECD Assessment for International Benchmarking. Presented at North/Northeast Kentucky Educational Co-op. Covington, KY.

Parker, E.S. (2016). Creating a Pipeline of Future Teachers and Developing P16 Partnerships. Presented at Educators Rising Conference, Boston University, Boston, MA.

Parker, E., Clark, B., Collins, M., (2015). The Value of Creating Teacher Leadership Opportunities. Presented at America Achieves Spring Fellowship, New Orleans, LA.

Parker, E.S. (2015). Leading a Demographically Diverse School: Lessons in Leadership. Presented at ASCD Conference & Exhibition. Houston, TX.

Parker, E., Parsons, A., Sullivan, R., & Cook, B. (2013, May). Data-Driven Decisions—Dynamic & Daunting. Panel discussion at the Critical Issues Forum for the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education Partnership, Atlanta, GA.

Parker, E.S., Johnson, J.J., & Barber, M.J. (2010, June). Creating Effective Professional Learning Communities. Presented at Gwinnett County Public Schools Summer Leadership Conference, Suwanee, GA

Education

Certifications

Work Experience