It is with deep sadness that we write to inform you of the passing of our esteemed colleague and fellow Academy member, Dr. David Berliner, who passed away on September 26, 2025. A towering figure in educational research and policy, Dr. Berliner leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of scholarship, advocacy, and mentorship that shaped the field for generations.
Dr. Berliner was Regents’ Professor Emeritus at Arizona State University and served as AERA President from 1985-86. Throughout his distinguished career, he taught at universities across the globe, including the Universities of Arizona and Massachusetts, Teachers College, Stanford University, and institutions in Canada, Australia, The Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, and Switzerland. He was a member of both the National Academy of Education and the International Academy of Education, and served as past president of both AERA and the Division of Educational Psychology of the American Psychological Association.
His contributions to education were recognized with the field’s highest honors, including the E.L. Thorndike Award for lifetime achievements in educational psychology, the AERA Distinguished Contributions Award, the Brock International Prize, and the NEA Friend of Education Award.
A prolific scholar, Dr. Berliner authored more than 200 articles, chapters, and books. His most influential works include The Manufactured Crisis (co-authored with B.J. Biddle), Collateral Damage: How High-Stakes Testing Corrupts American Education (with Sharon Nichols), and 50 Myths and Lies That Threaten America’s Public Schools (with Gene V Glass). He co-edited the first Handbook of Educational Psychology, setting a foundational standard for the field.
In a poignant testament to his lifelong dedication, Dr. Berliner’s final book, Public Education for Our Nation’s Democracy: Commentaries on Schooling in America, a collection of deeply personal essays, was published on the day of his passing.
Dr. Berliner was a pioneer in educational psychology, teacher education, and educational policy; a tireless champion of students, teachers, and public education; and a mentor and inspiration to countless scholars. His voice, his passion, and his unwavering commitment to educational equity will be profoundly missed.