Chris Weber

Chris Weber, EdD, is a consultant and administrative coach for Chicago Public Schools and the Oakland (California) Unified School District. He delivers trainings and presentations on Pyramid Response to Intervention. This tiered approach to RTI is centred on Professional Learning Community at Work™ concepts and strategies to ensure every student receives the time and support necessary to succeed. Dr. Weber also delivers workshops and presentations that provide the tools educators need to build and sustain PLCs. 

As principal of R.H. Dana Elementary School in the Capistrano Unified School District (CUSD) in California, Dr. Weber was the leader of a highly effective professional learning community. Together with his staff, he lifted the school to remarkable levels of success. Designated Schoolwide Title I, with over 60 percent of all students English learners and Latino and over 75 percent socioeconomically disadvantaged, R.H. Dana consistently exceeded adequate yearly progress (AYP) goals. The school’s gains over four years were among the top 1 percent in the state, and it was the first school in the decades-long history of the CUSD to win the State of California’s Title I Academic Achievement Award. Under Dr. Weber’s leadership, R.H. Dana earned the first California Distinguished School Award in the school’s 42-year history. After the percentage of students meeting AYP in English and math tripled in four years, the school was named a National Blue Ribbon School. Dr. Weber credits these achievements to the daily practice of key principles: focusing on student engagement, maximising instructional time, reallocating resources and developing systematic student support programs based on RTI.

Dr. Weber has taught grades K–12 and served as a site administrator for elementary and secondary schools. He was director of instruction for the Garden Grove Unified School District in California, which was the 2004 winner of the prestigious Broad Prize for Urban Education. During this time, all groups of students in the district’s 47 K–6 schools achieved double-digit AYP gains in mathematics and English language arts.

He earned a master’s degree from California State University, San Marcos, and a doctorate of education from the University of California (Irvine and Los Angeles). He is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and a former US Air Force pilot.