Dr. Joseph Beckham

Allan Tucker Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy
Coordinator of HE Program

Joe Beckham has maintained a commitment to education law and policy throughout a forty year career. While a law student at the University of Florida, he taught undergraduate courses in American Government. After receiving his J.D. degree, he was employed as administrative counsel to Connecticut Lt. Governor Peter Cashman and assisted in the development of education programs for youthful offenders that spanned the Connecticut departments of education, corrections, and higher education. Returning to Florida in 1976, he became a research fellow with the National Education Finance Project and, after completing the Ph.D. in 1977, accepted an appointment in the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania as an assistant professor and research associate with the Higher Education Finance Research Institute.

Dr. Beckham joined FSU's graduate program in higher education administration in 1980 and specializes in education law, policy and finance. He has served as head of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies (1988 to 1993), chair of that department (1999 to 2001), and interim chair (2005-06). In addition to his appointment to a number of state and national boards representing educators and attorneys, he was president of the National Organization on Legal Problems of Education in 1991 and was awarded the McGhehey Award for contributions to the field of education law in 1996. Florida State University awarded him the Ross Oglesby Award for service to FSU in 1999 and he was named Allan Tucker Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in 2001. His publication list is extensive and he is a member of several editorial boards, including the editorial board of the Journal of Law and Education and the editorial advisory committee of West's Education Law Reporter.

In addition to his work in the field of education law, Dr. Beckham is an advocate for recreational greenways and programs for young people. His leadership was instrumental in the development of Florida's first trail greenway, the St. Marks Trail, which has become a successful pilot program for the development of other recreational greenways in Florida. He has served on the Governor's Advisory Committee on Greenways and Trails, and is currently a member of the board of the Big Bend Boys and Girls Clubs and the North Carolina Outward Bound School. He is FSU's Faculty Representative to the NCAA and ACC and chairs the University's Athletic Committee.


				Dr. Joseph Beckham Allan Tucker Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Coordinator of HE Program Joe Beckham has maintained a commitment to education law and policy throughout a forty year career. While a law student at the University of Florida, he taught undergraduate courses in American Government. After receiving his J.D. degree, he was employed as administrative counsel to Connecticut Lt. Governor Peter Cashman and assisted in the development of education programs for youthful offenders that spanned the Connecticut departments of education, corrections, and higher education. Returning to Florida in 1976, he became a research fellow with the National Education Finance Project and, after completing the Ph.D. in 1977, accepted an appointment in the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania as an assistant professor and research associate with the Higher Education Finance Research Institute. Dr. Beckham joined FSU's graduate program in higher education administration in 1980 and specializes in education law, policy and finance. He has served as head of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies (1988 to 1993), chair of that department (1999 to 2001), and interim chair (2005-06). In addition to his appointment to a number of state and national boards representing educators and attorneys, he was president of the National Organization on Legal Problems of Education in 1991 and was awarded the McGhehey Award for contributions to the field of education law in 1996. Florida State University awarded him the Ross Oglesby Award for service to FSU in 1999 and he was named Allan Tucker Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in 2001. His publication list is extensive and he is a member of several editorial boards, including the editorial board of the Journal of Law and Education and the editorial advisory committee of West's Education Law Reporter. In addition to his work in the field of education law, Dr. Beckham is an advocate for recreational greenways and programs for young people. His leadership was instrumental in the development of Florida's first trail greenway, the St. Marks Trail, which has become a successful pilot program for the development of other recreational greenways in Florida. He has served on the Governor's Advisory Committee on Greenways and Trails, and is currently a member of the board of the Big Bend Boys and Girls Clubs and the North Carolina Outward Bound School. He is FSU's Faculty Representative to the NCAA and ACC and chairs the University's Athletic Committee.