David Locke has a dual background with over 20 years of experience as an educator and 15 years as a high-tech engineer and entrepreneur. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Washington in Educational Psychology with an emphasis on cognitive processes and a master's degree from the University of Oregon in Computer Science.

Most recently, David spent 16 years as the principal of Brighton School in Mountlake Terrace, Washington. where he helped create a school that succeeded in engaging students. Brighton has a strong supportive community of educators and parents, students who are engaged and excited about learning, and teachers who are passionate about what they are teaching and happy to come to work each day. Brighton maintains a broad curriculum, studies and celebrates different cultures, and participates in meaningful service-learning projects to support the community and those in need. Its teachers provide students numerous opportunities to work together, participate in classroom decision-making, and have an anger-free environment.

For the past three years, David has been doing research on the failures of the school reform movement, No Child Left Behind, and high-stakes testing. He has also been researching the existential crisis schools are facing with a mental health emergency occurring among students and an enormous drop in teacher job satisfaction over the past 15 years. David has just completed a book making the case that to save our schools, we must end high-stakes testing, significantly increase teacher support, and create safer, mor