George Bear

Professor Emeritus

Dr. George Bear is a professor emeritus in the School of Education. Dr. Bear’s research focuses on school climate, school discipline, and self-discipline. He has worked as a school psychologist in Iowa, Virginia, and Delaware and has served in multiple leadership positions in school psychology at the national level. He has authored five books, co-edited four others, and published over 100 additional book chapters and articles in peer-reviewed journals. He serves on the editorial boards of School Psychology Quarterly, Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, and Journal of School Violence. He is the recipient of the National Association of School Psychologists 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award.

Educational Background

• Ph.D., Educational Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 1979
• M.Ed., School Psychology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, 1976
• B.S., Psychology, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, 1974

Professional Experience

• Professor Emeritus, School of Education, University of Delaware, 2024-present
• Professor, School of Education, University of Delaware, 1998–2024
• Associate Professor, Department of Educational Studies, University of Delaware, 1991–1998
• Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Studies, 1985–1991
• Director of Personnel Services and School Psychologist, Bath County Public Schools, Warm Springs, Virginia, 1980–1985

Recent Grants

• Senior consultant (and primary writer) of $2.8 million School Climate Transformation Grant awarded from the U.S. Department of Education to Delaware Department of Education, 2014-2019

Recent Professional Awards

• Lifetime Achievement Award, National Association of School Psychologists, 2017
• Chaired the dissertation that won the APA Division 16 Outstanding Dissertation Award given to advisee, Chunyan Yang. Dissertation title: Multilevel Associations Between Bullying Victimization, School Engagement, and Social-Emotional Learning, 2016
• Article of the Year, Honorable Mention, School Psychology Review: “Differences in Bullying Victimization Between Students With and Without Disabilities,” 2015