Thomas A. DeLuca

Thomas A. DeLuca
  • Emeritus
  • Lecturer

Contact Info

Department Phone:
785-864-4458

Biography —

As an emeritus Associate Professor, Thomas A. DeLuca, proudly served the students of Kansas and western Missouri through his face-to-face doctoral (Ed.D.) courses on KU's Lawrence and Edwards campuses. In addition to his academic background, his experience serving within multiple school districts as a teacher, principal, and finance director in both rural and urban communities informed both his research and his teaching. Dr. DeLuca also enjoyed 11 years with a Fortune 500 company where he worked in technology, finance, and international sales administration and support.

Even in retirement, Professor DeLuca's research continues to focus on three key areas: Human resource management in PK-12 schools, the influence of empirical evidence related to data-informed decision-making, and the legal protections and responsibilities of PK-12 educational administrators and staff.

Education —

Educational Administration, Michigan State University, 2012, East Lansing, MI
Educational Leadership, Grand Valley State University, 2002, Allendale, MI
Business Administration, Grand Valley State University, 2001, Allendale, MI
Computer Science, Grand Valley State University, 1989, Allendale, MI
Elementary Education / EnglishMinors: Mathematics, Reading, Central Michigan University, 1983, Mt. Pleasant, MI

Research —

Research interests:

  • Educational finance
  • K-12 Internal Resource Allocation
  • Mixed methods research
  • Economics of education

Teaching —

Teaching interests:

  • Educational finance
  • School and District Resource Management
  • School administrator preparation and licensure

Selected Publications —

Kenne, D. R., Ph. D., Fischbein, R., Ph. D., & DeLuca, T. A., Ph. D. (2018). Economic Disparities: SPARK Ohio and Narrowing the Kindergarten Readiness Gap [Journal Articles]. Child Development Research, 2018, 12 / 4383792. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/cdr/2018/4383792/
DeLuca, T. A. (2018). Instructional spending metrics: A multilevel analysis using NCES data [Journal Articles]. Journal of Education Finance, 44(1).
DeLuca, T. A., Ph. D., Novak, J. C., Ed. D., & Cocolis, A., Ed. D. (2017). Retaliatory Teacher Transfer or Meeting a District Need? [Other]. In Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership. Sage Publications.
Fischbein, R., & DeLuca, T. A. (2016). Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids (SPARK): An Early Childhood Intervention Program Description and Evaluation. [Journal Articles]. The International Journal of Early Childhood Learning, 23(4).
Saatcioglu, A., Skrtic, T., & DeLuca, T. A. (2016). The use of test accommodations as a gaming strategy: A state-level exploration of potential gaming tendencies in the 2007-2009 period and implications for re-directing research on gaming through test accommodations. [Journal Articles]. Teachers College Record, 118(14).
Arsen, D. A., DeLuca, T. A., Ni, Y., & Bates, M. (2016). Which Districts Get Into Financial Trouble and Why: Michigan’s Story [Journal Articles]. Journal of Education Finance, 42(2).
DeLuca, T. A., Ph. D. (2015). Federal Incentives to Merge Local Districts: Alternative Perspectives [Other]. In Point/Counterpoint: A New Federal Role in Education? Incentivizing District Mergers? (Vol. 56, Issue 3, pp. 20–22). University of Virginia.
DeLuca, T. A., PhD. (2015). Do Countywide LEAs Allocate Expenditures Differently from Community-centric LEAs? Evidence from NCES Common Core Data [Journal Articles]. Journal of Education Finance, 40(3).
DeLuca, T. A., PhD. (2014). Business Service Consolidation: A Case Study [Journal Articles]. School Business Affairs, Official Journal of the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO), September 2014.
DeLuca, T. A. (2014). Service Consolidation [Encyclopedia/Dictionary Entries]. In Encyclopedia of Education Economics and Finance; edited by Dominic J. Brewer & Lawrence O. Picus. Sage Publications.
DeLuca, T. A. (2013). K-12 Non-Instructional Service Consolidation:  Spending Changes and Scale Economies [Journal Articles]. Journal of Education Finance, 39(2).

Selected Presentations —

DeLuca, T. A. (4/5/2018). Special Education Services as a Predictor Variable in Resource Allocation Research. 2018 National Education Finance Conference. Tulsa, OK
DeLuca, T. A. (2/22/2017). Using Geospatial Data in Educational Research. National Education Finance Academy Conference (2017). Cincinnati, OH. http://www.nationaledfinance.com/

Awards & Honors —

National Education Finance Conference Distinguished Fellow Award
National Education Finance Conference (NEFC)
2016
Clyde M. Campbell Endowed Fellowship
Michigan State University
2010 - 2011