The Joseph C. Beckham Award
Dissertation of the Year
The Joseph C. Beckham Award recognizes exemplary dissertations by doctoral students on topics related to education law. The award is named after Joseph C. Beckham, Former President of the Education Law Association (1991), and Professor Emeritus of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Florida State University.
Purpose
To recognize exemplary dissertations by doctoral students in the field of education law. In addition to the traditional legal research type of dissertations, studies that utilize empirical research on specific problems will be considered. Topics selected should reflect a direct relationship with educational law.
Eligibility
Dissertations defended in the two years prior to the current ELA Annual Conference year (e.g., if the conference occurred in 2021, dissertations could have been defended in calendar years of 2021 or 2020)
Criteria
The dissertation will be evaluated on how well it:
- Conceptually clear and addresses important problem or hypothesis.
- Comprehensive and relevant review of applicable literature.
- Utilization of methodologically sound approach.
- Cogent analysis of the data.
- Significant results and discussion.
- Polished writing style and appropriate documentation.
Nomination
While it is preferable that the chair or a member of the student’s dissertation committee, as a member of the Education Law Association, nominate the dissertation, any ELA member in good standing may nominate an exemplary dissertation for the award. The nominating ELA member should submit a letter of nomination with no personally identifiable information regarding the nominee that includes an endorsement attesting to the nominee’s eligibility and specifying the meritorious nature of the dissertation. Self-nominations will not be accepted. Submit a copy of the dissertation that has no personally-identifying information and has the abstract as the first page. The committee will utilize a blind review process with multiple readers. If necessary, the first review will be based on the nominee’s abstract. The subcommittee should make every attempt to recommend a meritorious dissertation each year, although the award will only be given if the committee finds an exemplary dissertation.
Please submit the nomination through the new Proposal Portal.
Selection
ELA’s Joseph C. Beckham Dissertation of the Year Subcommittee reviews and evaluates submissions for the Dissertation of the Year Award and selects the award recipient, if one is granted for the year. The subcommittee uses a blind-review process, with multiple readers. If necessary, the first review will be based on the nominee’s abstract. While the subcommittee will make every attempt to select a meritorious dissertation each year, the award will only be given if the committee finds an exemplary dissertation.
Award
The award recipient will receive:
- Invited to present the nominated work at the annual meeting.
- One-year complimentary membership in the Education Law Association Presentation of a plaque during the annual conference.
- Complimentary conference registration for the year of the award.
Past Recipients
2025 Shantel Palacio
2024 Mario Morris
2023 Kristine Bowman
2022 No Award
2021 Gillian Foss and Dominic Ledesma
2020 Patrick Ober
2019 No Award
2018 No Award
2017 No Award
2016 Marilyn S. Anglade
2015 Maria Lewis
2014 Michelle Gough McKeown
2013 Robert Fitzgerald
2012 Erica Salkin
2011 Janet R. Decker
2010 No Award
2009 Scott R. Bauries
2008 Howard J. Eberwein, III
2007 Laurence B. Alexander
2006 Rodney Marty
2005 John LaNear
2004 Judith Risch
2003 Richard Elliott Day
2002 Watt Lesley Black, Jr.
2001 Kerry Brian Melear
2000 Theresa B. Harrison
1999 Cheri C. Magill
1998 Douglas R. Pearson
1997 Susan Clark
1996 Patricia Todd Bausch
1995 No Award
1994 Julie Fisher Mead
1993 James Thomason Jeffers
1992 Anne Browning Masters
1991 Jill Jones White
1990 Terrence Leas
1989 No Award
1988 No Award
1987 Rosette Liberman