Texas Tech University

Ricardo Molina, Ed.D.

Lecturer
Educational Psychology, Leadership, & Counseling

Email: ricardo.molina@ttu.edu

Phone: (806) 834-6628

Office: Education 314

Dr. Ricardo Molina, Ed.D serves as Instructor of Educational Leadership and University Field Supervisor in Texas Tech University's College of Education and the Educational Psychology, Leadership, & Counseling Department. His experience includes 38 years in public schools as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, associate principal, principal, and central office administrator. Dr. Molina begin his higher education career in 2011 at Wayland Baptist University, and has worked at Tech since 2012. Additionally, Dr. Molina served in the United States Army Reserved for six years. 

Dr. Molina's research interests involves research in principal and superintendent preparatory programs and licensure. He is a member of the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA).  He served on a state redesign committee that reviewed the alignment of the new TExES Principal (268) as Instructional Leaders test framework with the 2016 Texas Principal Standards. As a school principal, he was selected to The Principals' Center Summer Institute at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Dr. Molina has received numerous outstanding service awards from local and state organizations during his service in public schools and at Texas Tech University. His latest recognition in 2019 was a “Raiders Who Rock” award from Texas Tech University. Additionally, he was named the 2006 Doctoral Student of Year by the Educational Leadership Program faculty during his studies at Tech. Dr. Molina's previous work in public schools include, in part, the following recognitions.   

  • Lubbock ISD Superintendent's Appreciation Award for Grant Writing, 2003
  • Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID) National Demonstration School, 2002
  • Texas Education Agency, TAKS Recognized Campus, Dunbar Junior High, 2002
  • Magnet Schools of America Honorable Mention School Merit Award, 2000
  • Lubbock Independent School District Board of Trustees, Administrator of the Year Award, 2000
  • Lubbock Classroom Teachers' Association, Secondary School Administrator of the Year, 2000
  • Texas Classroom Teachers Association, Middle/Secondary Administrator of the Year, 2000
  • College of Education Texas Tech University, Tribute to Teachers Award, 2000
  • Texas Association of Magnet School Merit Award, 1999
  • Lubbock City Council Appreciation Award, Volunteer Service to the Community Development Service Board, 1998
Dr. Ricardo Molina, Ed.D.

Education

Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas

  • Degree: Doctor of Education, 2011
  • Specialization: Educational Administration and Leadership
  • Dissertation: An Analysis of the Distributed Leadership Model in Public Education: A Mix Methods Study

Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas

  • Specialization: Educational Administration and Leadership
  • Certification: Superintendent Certificate, 1987

Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas

  • Degree: Master of Education, 1981
  • Specialization: Educational Administration and Leadership
  • Certification: Mid-Management Administrator Certificate

Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls, Texas

  • Degree: Bachelor of Science in Education, 1972
  • Specialization: Secondary Education
  • Certification: Teaching Certificate: History (major) and Government (minor)

Areas of Expertise

  • Educational Leadership
  • Online Instruction
  • Principal Certification
  • Superintendent Certification

Selected Publications

Valle, Almager, Molina, and Claudet, (2015. Answering the call for 21st century instructional leadership-A case study of a school district and university job-embedded aspiring leaders partnership. International Journal of Leadership in Education.

Molina, R., & Klinker, J. F. (2012). Ethics and morality: Passageways to a personal code of ethics and decision making for democratic leadership. International Journal of Leadership in Education.