Patrick Schuermann, Ed.D.

Patrick Schuermann is one of the nation’s leading experts in educator compensation. He currently serves as chief strategy and impact officer for Optima Independent, which develops immersive teaching and learning experiences for educators and students leveraging VR & spatial computing platforms. Following a career spanning elementary, middle and high school teaching, tutoring, coaching and leading in both independent and public schools, Schuermann earned his Ed.D. at Vanderbilt University. His doctoral dissertation “An Integrated Approach to Professional Development, Faculty Evaluation, and Compensation: Resources for Independent School Leaders,” explored how independent school campuses across the country were seeking to creatively cultivate mission-aligned human capital.

Schuermann then served as the founding director of technical assistance for the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Educator Compensation Reform, which oversaw the federally funded Teacher Incentive Fund program. In his subsequent role as the director of policy for the Center, and with the support of the Aspen Institute, Schuermann worked with a team of content experts to support members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate Committees crafting a federal policy agenda around compensation reform. Concurrently, with support from the Gates Foundation, Schuermann led a team of education and technology experts in the development of multimedia resources to help district and school leadership teams navigate the work of compensation system innovation.

At Vanderbilt University, Schuermann founded the Professional Leadership Institutes for independent school leaders and teachers at the Peabody College for Education and Human Development. He also developed, and for 8 years directed, the Independent School Leadership Master’s Program there. Schuermann has authored numerous articles, reports, books and films on leadership. His books include: "Successful School Leadership: Planning, Politics, Performance and Power"; "Leading Schools to Success: Constructing and Sustaining High-Performing Learning Cultures" and "Data Fluency: Empowering Your Organization with Effective Data Communication."  

In 2022, Schuermann served as the lead researcher for NBOA’s Mission-Anchored Compensation Strategies initiative, the most comprehensive assessment of compensation and benefits practices used in our independent school community to date. He has collaborated on the design and delivery of programs and resources in support of the independent school community with NBOA, NAIS, AISAP, ERB, SAIS, ESHA, WLSA, ICAISA, INDEX, ISAnet and a host of state and regional associations.