Dr. M. Scott Norton, a former public school teacher, coordinator of curriculum, assistant superintendent, and superintendent of schools, received his Ph.D. in Educational Administration and Supervision from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, where he later served as a professor in and vice-chair of the same department. He then became a professor and chair of the Department of Educational Administration and Supervision at Arizona State University, where he is currently professor emeritus. He teaches graduate classes in human resources administration, the school superintendency, the school principalship, educational leadership, and competency-based administration.

Dr. Norton is co-author of college textbooks in the areas of human resources administration, the school superintendency, and administrative management and author of a textbook in the area of effective leadership for effective administration. He has published widely in national journals in such areas as teacher retention, organizational climate, teacher workload, the department chair in educational administration, employee assistance programs, selection and recruitment practices, the school principalship, distance education and others.