Dr. Joseph Beckham

Allan Tucker Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy

Joe Beckham has maintained a commitment to education law and policy throughout a forty year career. After receiving his J.D. degree in 1969, he was employed as administrative counsel to Connecticut Lt. Governor Peter Cashman and assisted in the development of programs for youthful offenders that spanned the Connecticut departments of education, corrections, and higher education. Returning to Florida in the mid-1970s, he became a research fellow with the National Education Finance Project and, after completing the Ph.D. in 1977, accepted an appointment an assistant professor and research associate with the Higher Education Finance Research Institute at the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Beckham joined FSU's faculty 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 recognized with the McGhehey Award for contributions to the field of education law by the Education Law Association 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. He is FSU's Faculty Representative to the NCAA and ACC and chairs the University's Athletic Board.

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 on the Board of the Big Bend Boys and Girls Clubs. A former Outward Bound instructor in both the United States and abroad, he recently completed a term as a board member for the North Carolina Outward Bound School.


				Dr. Joseph Beckham Allan Tucker Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Joe Beckham has maintained a commitment to education law and policy throughout a forty year career. After receiving his J.D. degree in 1969, he was employed as administrative counsel to Connecticut Lt. Governor Peter Cashman and assisted in the development of programs for youthful offenders that spanned the Connecticut departments of education, corrections, and higher education. Returning to Florida in the mid-1970s, he became a research fellow with the National Education Finance Project and, after completing the Ph.D. in 1977, accepted an appointment an assistant professor and research associate with the Higher Education Finance Research Institute at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Beckham joined FSU's faculty 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 recognized with the McGhehey Award for contributions to the field of education law by the Education Law Association 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. He is FSU's Faculty Representative to the NCAA and ACC and chairs the University's Athletic Board. 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 on the Board of the Big Bend Boys and Girls Clubs. A former Outward Bound instructor in both the United States and abroad, he recently completed a term as a board member for the North Carolina Outward Bound School.