Francis M. Fennell

Francis (Skip) Fennell, PhD, D.H.L. is emeritus as the L. Stanley Bowlsbey professor of education and Graduate and Professional Studies at McDaniel College in Maryland, where he also directed numerous projects and professional development efforts in support of elementary mathematics coach/specialists, including the Elementary Mathematics Specialists and Teacher Leaders Project (http://www.mathspecialists.org). Dr. Fennell is a mathematics educator who has experience as a classroom teacher, principal, and supervisor of instruction. He is a past president of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE), the Research Council on Mathematics Learning (RCML), and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM).

Widely published in professional journals and books related to PreK-8 mathematics education, with particular research interests related to number sense, curriculum, formative assessment, and teacher education, Dr. Fennell has also had key leadership responsibilities with the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. National Commission on Mathematics Instruction (USNCMI). He served as a writer for the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM, 2000), the Curriculum Focal Points (NCTM, 2006) and for the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSO, 2010). He also served on the National Mathematics Advisory Panel (2006-2008). Dr. Fennell served as a member of the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) Commission (2012-2013) and as both Vice-Chair, and Treasurer of the CAEP Board of Directors. Dr. Fennell has received numerous honors and awards, including Maryland’s Outstanding Mathematics Educator, McDaniel College’s Professor of the Year, the Glenn Gilbert National Leadership Award from the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (NCSM), the CASE - Carnegie Foundation Professor of the Year - Maryland, the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators’ (AMTE) Excellence in Leadership and Service Award, and the 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). In 2018, he received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from McDaniel College and the initial Lifetime Achievement Award from the Maryland Council of Teachers of Mathematics (MCTM). In 2020 her received the James W. Heddens Distinguished Service Award from the Research Council on Mathematics Learning (RCML).