Richard DuFour (September 23, 1947 – February 8, 2017) was an American educational researcher noted for developing strategies to create collaborative teaching environments in K–12 schools.
As an advocate of teacher collaboration, he helped educators implement professional learning communities in their schools and districts.
[5] DuFour linked increases in student performance to schools where there was a shared vision of leadership, where each member of the teaching-learning community contributed, and where teachers collectively planned activities and then reflected together upon completion.
[7] These schools had collaborative teams, demonstrated collective inquiry, had an action orientation and willingness to experiment, desired continuous improvement, were results-oriented, and exhibited a shared mission, vision, and values.
[13] Upon his retirement from superintendent in 2002, the Illinois General Assembly passed a resolution recognizing DuFour's considerable contribution to public education.