College of Education and Health Professions

Benny L. Gooden, Ed.D.
Visiting Assistant Professor of Educational Administration
Curriculum and Instruction

Phone: (479) 785-2501
FAX: (479) 785-1722
bgooden@fortsmithschools.org

Degrees:

• Ed.D., University of Missouri, Educational Administration, 1976
• M.Ed., University of Arkansas, Educational Administration, 1969
• B.A.,   Harding University, Music Education, 1966

Teaching Areas:

• Organizational Behavior in Educational Administration
• School and Community Relations
• School Governance
• School Finance

Research Interests:

Issues related to school governance, school and community relations and school finance.

Professional Biography:

Benny Gooden currently serves as Superintendent of Schools for the Fort Smith Public Schools, one of Arkansas' largest urban school districts. He has held this position since 1986. Prior to coming to Fort Smith, Dr. Gooden held superintendent's positions in Boonville and Crawford County, Missouri. He has also served as an assistant superintendent, high school principal, assistant principal, and secondary vocal and instrumental music instructor. He has taught at the graduate level for Arkansas Tech University, the University of Central Arkansas and Southeast Missouri State University in addition to the University of Arkansas.

Leadership for Public Education

State Appointments for Service

• Appointed to Arkansas Blue Ribbon Commission on Education - year-long study of adequacy and equity; 2001
  • Served as Chair of Curriculum and Early Childhood Education Subcommittee;
• Arkansas Pygmalion Commission on Alternative Education-appointed to represent superintendents-1994-2007
• 2010 Commission-University of Arkansas 2000-2001
• Arkansas Advisory Council for the Education of Children with Disabilities 2000-present
• Governor’s Task Force on Hispanic Relations 1994-1996
• American Association of School Administrators
  • Federal Policy & Legislation Committee, 1999-2002; Chairman 2001-2002
  •   Resolutions Committee, 1993; 2005
  •   AASA Governing Board 2004-present
  •   Legislative Corps 1995-present
  •   Environmental Committee 2005-2007; Chairman 2006-2007
  •   Public Engagement Committee 2007-2009
• Arkansas Association of School Administrators
  •       President 1998-1999
  •  Legislative Committee 1995-present
  •  Legislative Finance Chairman 2001
• Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators
  • Umbrella organization of administrators – president 2007-2008
• West Central Missouri Association of School Administrators
  • President 1984-1985
  • Legislative Committee Chairman 1984-1986
• Other
  • NCA/CASI Board of Trustees 2002-2005; Chair-Elect 2006; Chair 2007
  • AdvancEdBoard of Trustees, Chair 2007-2008

Recognition and Awards

National

• Phoebe Apperson Hearst Outstanding Educator Award; National PTA, 1999
• Administrator of the Year; National Association of Educational Office Professionals, 1999-2000
• “100 Outstanding School Administrators in North America” The Executive Educator, 1993

State

• Arkansas Superintendent of the Year; American Association of School Administrators, 1992-1993
• Administrator of the Year; Arkansas Council of Parent Teacher Associations, 1995
• Outstanding Administrator of the Year; Arkansas Art Educators, 1998
• Daniel Pilkington Award for Outstanding Service to Public Education; Arkansas School Boards Association, 2002

Local

• Jack White Community Leadership Award; Leadership Fort Smith,2001
• Administrator Award; Western Arkansas Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa, 2004

Academic Interests and Accomplishments:

Benny Gooden has been active in school leadership organizations in both Missouri and Arkansas as well as at the national level. He has served on the Federal Policy and Legislation Committee of the American Association of School Administrators and was its chair in 2001-2002. He currently serves on the Governing Board of the AASA. Dr. Gooden was president of the Arkansas Association of School Administrators in 1998-1999. He currently is a member of the Board of Trustees of the North Central Association/Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. He is a frequent presenter at educational conferences on topics related to governance and school finance.

Personal Information:

Dr. Gooden is married, and he and his wife, Martha, are the parents of three children -- all graduates of Northside High School. Michael is a 1995 graduate of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and is a LTC General Surgeon in Fort Bragg, NC. Marcus is a product packaging designer in Loma Linda, CA and Leigh Ann is a third year medical student at Oklahoma State University, Tulsa, OK. He has five grandchildren.

Publications/Presentations:

Gooden, B.L. (1999, August/September). Public education: The preservation of a democratic society. Our Children, 6.

Cole, J., & Gooden, B.L. ( 2003, June). Speaking for children who have no voice: Advocating for the forgotten, National Parent Teacher Association Convention, Charlotte, North Carolina.

Gooden, B.L., & Farrell, M. (2004, July). Special purpose schools: Serving students others leave behind, Quadrennial Conference, Council on International and Transregional Accreditation, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Gooden, B.L. (2001, June). Effective child advocacy: An issues agenda for our future, 105th National Parent Teacher Association Convention, Baltimore, Maryland.