Janet Fairman
Associate Professor of Education and Co-director of the Maine Education Policy Research Institute
janet.fairman@maine.edu
Phone: 207.581.2475
328 Shibles Hall
University of Maine
Orono, ME 04469-5766
Bio: Janet Fairman grew up in the Chicago area and earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Chicago. She earned a master’s degree in political science/public policy and a doctorate in education policy from Rutgers University. Since joining the University of Maine in 2002, Dr. Fairman has researched and evaluated Maine’s major education policies and reform initiatives. She studied the implementation of state learning standards, local assessments, the laptop program for middle school students and teachers, and the consolidation of school districts. In 2015, Dr. Fairman assumed the role of co-director of the Maine Education Policy Research Institute (MEPRI). She continues to provide education policy analysis to the state legislature to inform policymaking. Dr. Fairman combines her interest in education reform, teacher leadership, and public policy with a focus on innovative practices that support students and teachers in math and science. Serving as a co-principal investigator, she researched the ASSISTments online homework platform for middle school students and teachers in mathematics. Her interest in supporting girls and women in STEM fields extends to higher education where she researched undergraduate women in STEM majors and evaluated UMaine’s Rising Tide Advance Grant initiative to support recruitment and advancement of women in science.
Education
Ph.D. in Education Policy, 1999, Rutgers University
M.A. in Political Science/Public Policy, 1992, Rutgers University
B.A. in Political Science, 1986, University of Chicago
Courses taught at UMaine
- EAD 654: Educational Policy Formulation and Analysis
- EHD 572: Advanced Qualitative Research: Methods and Analysis
- EDA 570: Models of Educational Evaluation
- EHD 571: Qualitative Research: Theory, Design, and Practice
- EHD 590: Qualitative Interviewing Methods
Sample publications
- Fairman, J., Smith, D., Pullen, P. & Lebel, S. (2020). The challenge of keeping teacher professional learning relevant. Professional Development in Education. DOI: 10.1080/19415257.2020.1827010
- Mackenzie, S. & Fairman, J. (2015). Teacher leadership and school leadership: A progress report. Journal of Maine Education. 31, pp.77-86.
- Fairman, J. & Mackenzie, S. (2014). How teacher leaders influence others and understand their leadership. International Journal of Leadership in Education. 18 (1) pp. 61-87.
- Fairman, J. & Mackenzie, S. (2012). Spheres of teacher leadership action for learning. Professional Development in Education, special issue on teacher leadership, 38 (2) pp. 229-246.
- Fairman, J. & Donis-Keller, C. (2012). School district reorganization in Maine: Lessons learned for policy and process. Maine Policy Review. 21 (2) pp. 24-40.