About

Ohio Council of Professors of Educational Administration

The Ohio Council of Professors of Educational Administration (OCPEA) is a statewide nonprofit professional organization dedicated to strengthening educational leadership preparation, research, and practice. Its membership brings together professors, adjunct faculty, graduate students, retired professors, and supporters of school administration preparation programs across Ohio. OCPEA provides a forum for sharing research, improving preparation programs, and examining issues affecting school and district leaders, including leadership standards, licensure, accreditation, and education policy. [1, 2]

OCPEA is an Ohio state affiliate of the International Council of Professors of Educational Leadership (ICPEL). The organization formally affiliated in July 2005 with the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration (NCPEA), which later became ICPEL. This affiliation connects Ohio’s educational leadership faculty with a broader professional community and supports collaboration and the dissemination of scholarship. ICPEL lists OCPEA among its United States affiliates and hosts OCPEA journal publications. [1, 3, 4]

OCPEA includes members from public and private institutions across Ohio. Universities and colleges represented in its Spring 2026 meeting include Ashland University, Cleveland State University, Muskingum University, Ohio Dominican University, The Ohio State University, Ohio University, the University of Findlay, the University of Mount Union, Ursuline College, and Xavier University. Its published institutional membership roster also includes institutions such as Bowling Green State University, Kent State University, Miami University, the University of Akron, the University of Cincinnati, the University of Dayton, the University of Toledo,  and Youngstown State University. [1]

OCPEA’s peer-reviewed journal, Leadership and Research in Education: The Journal of the Ohio Council of Professors of Educational Administration, provides an outlet for research and theoretical scholarship relevant to educational leadership and practice. The journal encourages contributions from practitioners, graduate students, and faculty and identifies mentoring beginning scholars through writing and publication as part of its mission.[2]

OCPEA participates in fall and spring conferences through the Ohio Confederation of Teacher Education Organizations (OCTEO), providing opportunities for professional learning, research presentations, networking, and organizational discussions. OCPEA also partners with the Buckeye Association of School Administrators (BASA), connecting university preparation programs with practicing school and district administrators. This collaboration is reflected in the Fall 2025 OCTEO conference program, which lists a BASA representative participating in the OCPEA meeting. Together, these activities support communication between higher education and Ohio’s P–12 leadership community. [5, 6]

Sources

[1] Xavier University, OCPEA webpage and Spring 2026 meeting minutes.

[2] OCPEA Bylaws, revised April 2018. [3] ICPEL, Affiliates webpage.

[4] Leadership and Research in Education, Volume 6, Issue 1 (2021).

[5] OCTEO, About webpage. [6] OCTEO Fall 2025 Conference Program.