Rebecca Burnette DuFour, Beloved Educator and Author, Dies at 57

Bloomington, Ind. (July 11, 2018)—Rebecca B. DuFour, a renowned and beloved education expert and author, died yesterday at the age of 57. She suffered a traumatic brain injury from a fall on June 27, 2018.

During her nearly four-decade-long career in education, DuFour served as a public-school educator and administrator. She co-authored 16 titles, including the best-selling Learning by Doing: A Handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work™ and wrote numerous articles on the topic of education.

“Our hearts could not be heavier than they are now with the passing of our dear friend and colleague Becky DuFour,” said Jeffrey C. Jones, CEO of Solution Tree, a professional development provider in K–12 education. “Becky’s passion for life and family was unmatched, as was her impact on improving schools and outcomes for students, which will undoubtedly live on through the thousands of educators that she helped to nurture through the PLC at Work process.”

During her tenure as principal at Boones Mill Elementary School in Franklin County, Va., DuFour helped her school earn state and national recognition as a Model PLC. She received the Evelyn P. Bickham Outstanding Undergraduate Alumni Award from University of Lynchburg in 2008 and later served on the board of trustees for the University of Lynchburg. DuFour consulted with professional organizations, schools, districts, universities and departments of education around the United States and the world.

Rebecca DuFour is survived by her daughter, Hannah; son-in-law, Brandon; and grandsons, Sam and Lee; and her son, Matthew; daughter-in-law, Kristin; and one grandson, due to be born in August. DuFour was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Richard DuFour.

Learn more about Becky's legacy.