David Tyack
David B. Tyack was the Vida Jacks Professor of Education and Professor of History, Emeritus at the Stanford Graduate School of Education. Tyack is known for his wide-ranging studies and interpretations of the history of American education.
Tyack took his undergraduate degree in 1952 and his PhD in 1958, both at Harvard University. His dissertation under Bernard Bailyn dealt with "Gentleman of letters: a study of George Ticknor". Tyack taught at Reed College from 1959 to 1966, the University of Illinois from 1967 to 1969, and since 1969 at Stanford University. He received awards from the American Council of Learned Societies, and the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences. Tyack served as president of the History of Education Society, 1970 to 1971.
After examining late 19th century reform movements in New York City, Philadelphia, St. Louis, San Francisco and Chicago, Tyack concluded that, "What the structural reformers wanted to do, then, was to replace a rather mechanical form of public bureaucracy, which was permeated with 'illegitimate' lay influence, with a streamlined 'professional' bureaucracy in which lay control was carefully filtered through a corporate school board."
Tyack died on October 27, 2016 in Palo Alto from complications of Parkinson's disease.
