Natalie Bolton

Natalie Bolton is an Associate Professor in the Department of Education Sciences and Professional Programs at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, within the College of Education. She holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Organizational Development from the University of Louisville (2008), an M.A. in Secondary Education with a focus on social studies, and a B.A. in Secondary Education with a history major and geography minor. Her research focuses on education policy, student achievement, and social studies/civic education, with special emphasis on large-scale assessments, standards-based reforms, formative assessment, and program evaluation. She actively collaborates with local schools and community partners in St. Louis, examining classroom assessment design, lesson study impacts on teaching practices, and standards-based grading systems.

Her educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Organizational Development, University of Louisville (2008)
• M.A. in Secondary Education (Social Studies), emphasis on curriculum and instruction
• B.A. in Secondary Education (Social Sciences), History major and Geography minor

Research Interests:
- Education Policy
- Standards-Based Education Reform
- Classroom-Based Formative Assessment
- Program Evaluation
- K-12 Grading Systems and Reporting

Her recent publications span computer science education, higher education faculty development, and cybersecurity infrastructure. Collaborative projects include analyzing the role of competitions in computing education outcomes and designing knowledge graph frameworks for cybersecurity defense.

Natalie leads program evaluations and advises on standards-based grading transitions in Missouri schools. She emphasizes practical applications of assessment research to improve educational practices and student success.