Jean Ferguson Ruffin, J.D., Ed.D.
Associate Professor & Assistant Department Chair of LRS
678-839-4760
jruffin@westga.edu
Education Annex - Room 219
Office Hours
Monday and Wednesday 10-2
Dr. Jean Ferguson Ruffin is an assistant professor in the Department of Leadership, Research, and School Improvement. She teaches graduate courses in educational leadership, specializing in school law and culturally proficient leadership. Her research agenda is primarily focused on culturally proficient leadership. Dr. Ruffin served as the associate school superintendent for the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice. She has also worked with the Southern Regional Education Board as a school improvement and literacy coach. She has held a variety of school and district-level leadership positions including high school English teacher, teaching and learning specialist, instructional lead, CTAE director, and school improvement specialist. Prior to becoming an educator, Dr. Ruffin practiced law in south Georgia.
- B.A., English, Tuskegee University, 1998
- J.D., Law, Mercer University, 2001
- Ed.S., Education Administration, University of West Georgia, 2010
- Ed.D., School Improvement, University of West Georgia, 2018
- EDLE-6316 (School Law, Policy, and Ethics)
- EDLE-6341 (Using Data to Improve the Schl)
- EDLE-7100 (School Law, Policy, and Ethics)
- EDLE-7300 (School Ops for Student Learn)
- EDLE-7312 (School & Comm Engagement)
- EDLE-8329 (Leadership for Equity & Excell)
- EDSI-9901 (Doctoral Seminar)
- EDSI-9923 (Culturally Proficient Leader)
- EDSI-9933 (Leadership for Change)
- EDSI-9941 (Org Theories & Schl Imprvmnt)
- EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation)
Fall 2025 Sections
- EDLE-7100 (School Law, Policy, and Ethics) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDLE-7100 (School Law, Policy, and Ethics) Section: E05 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDLE-8329 (Leadrshp for Equity & Exellenc) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDSI-9923 (Culturally Proficient Leader) Section: E02 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDSI-9923 (Culturally Proficient Leader) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDSI-9923 (Culturally Proficient Leader) Section: E03 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation) Section: E13 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Summer 2025 Sections
- EDLE-7100 (School Law, Policy, and Ethics) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDLE-7300 (School Ops for Student Learn) Section: E08 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDLE-8329 (Leadrshp for Equity & Exellenc) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDSI-9941 (Org Theories & Schl Imprvmnt) Section: E06 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation) Section: E13 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation) Section: E19 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Spring 2025 Sections
- EDLE-7100 (School Law, Policy, and Ethics) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDLE-7100 (School Law, Policy, and Ethics) Section: E08 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDLE-8329 (Leadrshp for Equity & Exellenc) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDSI-9923 (Culturally Proficient Leader) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDSI-9933 (Leadership for Change) Section: E10 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation) Section: E12 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Fall 2024 Sections
- EDLE-6316 (School Law, Policy, and Ethics) Section: E07 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDLE-6316 (School Law, Policy, and Ethics) Section: E08 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDLE-6316 (School Law, Policy, and Ethics) Section: E09 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDLE-8329 (Leadership for Equity & Excell) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDLE-8329 (Leadrshp for Equity & Exellenc) Section: E03 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDLE-8329 (Leadrshp for Equity & Exellenc) Section: E02 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation) Section: E12 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Summer 2024 Sections
- EDLE-6316 (School Law, Policy, and Ethics) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDLE-6316 (School Law, Policy, and Ethics) Section: E02 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDSI-9901 (Doctoral Seminar) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation) Section: E11 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Spring 2024 Sections
- EDSI-9923 (Culturally Proficient Leader) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDSI-9923 (Culturally Proficient Leader) Section: E02 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation) Section: E12 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Fall 2023 Sections
- EDLE-8329 (Leadrshp for Equity & Exellenc) Section: E02 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDLE-8329 (Leadership for Equity & Excell) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation) Section: E13 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Summer 2023 Sections
- EDLE-6316 (School Law, Policy, and Ethics) Section: E02 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDLE-6316 (School Law, Policy, and Ethics) Section: E03 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Spring 2023 Sections
- EDLE-8329 (Leadrshp for Equity & Exellenc) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDSI-9923 (Culturally Proficient Leader) Section: E02 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDSI-9923 (Culturally Proficient Leader) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation) Section: E16 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Fall 2022 Sections
- EDLE-6316 (School Law, Policy, and Ethics) Section: E05 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDLE-6316 (School Law, Policy, and Ethics) Section: E03 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDLE-8329 (Leadership for Equity & Excell) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation) Section: E22 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Summer 2022 Sections
- EDLE-6316 (School Law, Policy, and Ethics) Section: E05 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDLE-6316 (School Law, Policy, and Ethics) Section: E03 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDLE-7312 (School & Comm Engagement) Section: E03 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation) Section: E17 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Spring 2022 Sections
- EDLE-6316 (School Law, Policy, and Ethics) Section: E05 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDLE-8329 (Leadrshp for Equity & Exellenc) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDSI-9923 (Culturally Proficient Leader) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation) Section: E18 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Fall 2021 Sections
- EDLE-6316 (School Law, Policy, and Ethics) Section: E03 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDLE-8329 (Leadrshp for Equity & Exellenc) Section: E02 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDLE-8329 (Leadership for Equity & Excell) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation) Section: E26 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Summer 2021 Sections
- EDLE-6316 (School Law, Policy, and Ethics) Section: E04 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDLE-6341 (Using Data to Improve the Schl) Section: E03 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Spring 2021 Sections
- EDLE-6316 (School Law, Policy, and Ethics) Section: E04 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDLE-6316 (School Law, Policy, and Ethics) Section: E03 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDSI-9923 (Culturally Proficient Leader) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Fall 2020 Sections
- EDLE-6316 (School Law, Policy, and Ethics) Section: E04 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDLE-6316 (School Law, Policy, and Ethics) Section: E03 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
- EDLE-8329 (Leadership for Equity & Excell) Section: E01 external Syllabus via Concourse External Resource
Ruffin, J. F. (2024). Finding Fearlessness: A Black professor’s quest to develop culturally proficient school leaders. In Supporting Activist Practices in Education (pp. 78–103). IGI Global.
Ruffin, Jean F. and Simon, Marsha E. (2022). Developing culturally proficient leaders through graduate coursework: Examining student perspectives. School Leadership Review.
Ruffin, J. F. (2023). Teaching from a place of love: Navigating the online diversity course against the backdrop of socio-political chaos. In S. McCarter & D. Davis (Eds.), Breakthrough: From pandemic to promising practice (pp. 78-103). Information Age Pub
Ruffin, J. F. (2021). A tale of three teachers: Portraits of inequity, education, and perseverance during the covid-19 pandemic. American Educational History Journal.
Ruffin, J. F. (2020). Missed opportunities: Reflections and regrets of a brand-new professor. Transformations: The Journal of Inclusive Scholarship and Pedagogy, 30(2), 141–147. https://doi.org/10.5325/trajincschped.30.2.0141