Victoria L. Kelly, Ed.D.

About

Dr. Victoria Kelly is the Program Director for the Cal Lutheran Santa Maria Center in the Graduate School of Education's Educational Leadership Program. With over 20 years of experience working in school districts, Dr. Kelly has an excellent knowledge base of the educational system. She is recognized for her resourcefulness and leadership skills in transforming organizations to address the demands of educational reform, as well as her innovative thinking and creative problem solving for the provision of services and instruction for students at risk of school failure. Her effective communication skills and advocacy for quality in education are well regarded in the community.

With a wide array of experience in Educational Leadership, Dr. Kelly is recognized for her ongoing efforts and recent research on systemic reform to support local district improvement. Additionally, her recent publications have provided information and support to look more closely at the work of local educational professionals in light of new educational reforms. Over the years, Dr. Kelly has taken the lead role in seeking external funding and planning county wide professional development seminars for teachers, administrators, parents, and community agencies. Dr. Kelly was instrumental in bringing Professional Learning Communities and Response to Intervention training to teachers and administrators throughout the San Luis Obispo County.

Dr. Kelly was also involved in the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED), a three-year effort sponsored by the Carnegie Foundation and the Council of Academic Deans in Research Education Institutions to strengthen the education doctorate. Dr. Kelly contributed to discussions to redesign and transform doctoral education for the advanced preparation of school practitioners and clinical faculty, academic leaders, and professional staff in the California University system.

District level education leadership issues are a significant part of Dr. Kelly's research interests, specifically instructional and transformational leadership practices that contribute to organizational learning. A significant aspect of her research focuses on organizational leadership and learning and the influence of district level leaders on improved academic achievement of students.

Dr. Kelly holds her Ed.D in Educational Leadership from the UCSB/Cal Poly Joint Doctoral Program, a Master's Degree in Special Education with an emphasis in Reading and an Administrative credential from Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo, and an undergraduate degree in Biology from John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio.

Education

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership
University of California, Santa Barbara-Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo Joint Doctoral Program

Master of Arts in Education with a specialization in Special Education,
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Bachelor of Science in Biology, John Carroll University, Cleveland Hts., Ohio

Professional Credentials
CA Professional Administrative Services Credential
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

CA Professional Clear Multiple Subject Teaching Credential.
Authorized Field: General Subjects. Supplementary Authorization in Life Sciences; California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

CA Professional Clear Specialist Instruction Credential.
Authorized Field: Reading and Language Arts; California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

CA Professional Clear Specialist Instruction Credential in Special Education. Authorized Field: Learning Handicapped, Severely Handicapped; California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

CA Clear Resource Specialist Certificate of Competence
San Luis Obispo County SELPA, San Luis Obispo

CA Clear Language Development Specialist Certificate
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Expertise

Research Interests and Specialties
General areas of organizational behavior in education, district level instructional and transformational leadership practices and school reform

General area of special populations and innovative, collaborative practices for effective teaching and student learning

Publications

Kelly, V.L., & Petersen, G.J. (2011). Superintendent leadership as the catalyst for
Organizational learning: Implications for closing the achievement gap. In Alford, B. (Ed)
National Council of Professors of Educational Administration (NCPEA) 2011 Yearbook.

Kelly, V.L. (2009). The impact of technology on superintendent communication. Journal of
School Public Relations, 30(4), 309-324.

Kelly, V. L. (2009). A comparative case study of the influence of district superintendents in the establishment of organizational learning. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of California, Santa Barbara.

Kelly, V. L., & Petersen, G. J., (2009, November). Leading for Learning: An Investigation of Superintendents Shaping Relationships into a Shared Symphony to Attain Exemplary Academic Outcomes. Paper presented at the annual convention of the University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA), Anaheim, CA. November 19-21, 2009.

Petersen, G.J., Kelly, V.L., Reimer, C., Mosunich, D., Thompson, D.. (2009). A Statewide
Investigation of District Leaders Perceptions of Forces that Complicate Efforts to Succeed. Journal of School Public Relations, 30(4), 281-308.

Petersen, G. J., Sayre C. & Kelly, V. (2007). What teachers think: An investigation
of teachers' perceptions regarding the superintendent's influence on instruction and learning. Central California Instructional Leadership Forum, 2, 1-29.