M. David Alexander is a professor in the Educational Leadership and Policy Studies program.
Principal Areas of Research Focus

• School law
• School finance
• School board policy

Education

• EdD, Indiana University (Educational Administration), 1969
• MEd, Western Kentucky University (Educational Administration), 1966
• BS, Western Kentucky State College (Mathematics and Business Administration), 1963

Professional Roles

• Professor, Educational Leadership & Policy Studies, 2010- Present.
• Department Unit Chair and Professor, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, 2005 – 2010. Facilitates day-to-day operations of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, evaluate faculty, recommend merit salary adjustments.
• Department Chair and Professor, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, 1995 – 2005.

Awards and Honors

• Senior Scholar Award 2019, Eastern Educational Research Association, 2019
• 2014 Living Legend Award, National Council of Professors of Educational Administration
• Marion A. McGhehey Award, Education Law Association; recognition of outstanding service in the field of education law.
• School of Education International Outreach Award.
• Virginia Tech Alumni International Outreach Award.
• Selected as Fellow, Royal Society of Arts (London)
• President of Education Law Association
• Selected as Distinguished Research and Practice Fellow, National Education Finance Academy
• Elected to Board of Trustees of National Education Finance Academy, 2016-2017.
• Invited to join The Flagstaff Seminar: Educational Leaders Without Borders, the focus is to create a Global Network of Educational Scholars to research issues about World Educational Problems, 2014 to present.

Publications

Books

Alexander, Kern and M. David Alexander. The Law of Schools, Students, and Teachers, West Academic Publishing, St. Paul, MN, 5 th ed. 2019. (700 pages)

Alexander, Kern and M. David Alexander, American Public School Law, 9 th Ed. West Academic, St. Paul, MN. 2019 (1300 pages)

Salmon, Richard G. and M. David Alexander, Taking the Mystery out of Virginia School Finance, National Council of Professors of Educational Administration, Ypsilanti, Michigan, 2014.

Cox, Betty, Jennifer Sughrue, Luke M. Cornelius, and M. David Alexander, The Challenges to School Policing, Education Law Association, Dayton, Ohio, 2012.

Articles and Book Chapters (Selected)

Alexander, M.D., 2019, “School Liability in School Shootings Cases”, School Violence in International Context, Chapter 14, Rosemary Papa, Ed., Springer, Nature, Switzerland, AG.

Alexander, M.D. 2018, “Should Education be Considered a Commodity? Global Privatization of Education” Chapter 9, R. Papa and S.W. Armfield , Eds. Wiley Handbook of Education Policy, Wiley-Blackwell, Hoboken, N.J.

Jobert, Rika, Jennifer Sughrue and M. David Alexander, “Search and Seizure of Learners in Schools in a Constitutional Democracy: A Comparative Analysis of South Africa and the United States,” De Jure Legal Journal (SouthAfrican Education Law Association), 46 Volume 1, 2013.

Alexander, M. David, Jennifer Sughrue, Jianliang Wang and Pengwei Wang, “ Random Drug Testing in Elementary and Secondary Schools in the United States”, Chinese Educational Law Review, (Volume 9, 2012)
Fellowships, Grants, and Sponsored Research
“A School-University Collaboration for Curriculum Development for the People’s Republic of China,” 2009, $85,268, Fulbright-Hays Study Abroad Program, U.S. Department of Education. Co-Director with Dr. Jianliang Wang, Western Kentucky University. (Grant Virginia Tech)

“A School-University Collaboration for Curriculum Development for the People’s Republic of China,” 2006, $80,000, Fulbright-Hays Study Abroad Program, U.S. Department of Education. Co-Director with Dr. Jianliang Wang, Western Kentucky University. (Grant Virginia Tech)

“A School-University Collaboration for Curriculum Development for the People’s Republic of China,” 2002, $64,000, Fulbright-Hays Study Abroad Program, U. S. Department of Education. Co-Director with Dr. Jianliang Wang, Western Kentucky University. (Grant Virginia Tech)

“A Study of the Feasibility of a Hampton Roads Regional Educational Cooperative,” 1997, $78,697, Norfolk VA Public Schools.