Dr. Jay Solomonson
Assistant Professor of Agricultural Education
Office
RAB Ropp Agriculture Building 140
Office Hours
On-campus:
Fall Semester: Thursdays 1 pm- 3 pm
Spring Semester: Thursdays 10 am- 12 pm
Or by appointment, please send an email.
Summer Session: Please make an appointment by email
Online using Zoom:
By appointment only, please send an email
Fall Semester: Thursdays 1 pm- 3 pm
Spring Semester: Thursdays 10 am- 12 pm
Or by appointment, please send an email.
Summer Session: Please make an appointment by email
Online using Zoom:
By appointment only, please send an email
Office Phone
Email
- About
- Education
- Awards & Honors
- Selected Research
Biography
Dr. Solomonson grew up on a 1000-acre family farm in rural, Coal Valley, Illinois. After high school, he attended Black Hawk College- East then transferred to Western Illinois University where he received his B.S. degree in Agriculture- Teacher Certification. He began his career at Orion High School where he taught agricultural education classes and was the FFA advisor for 17 years. He also served as the Director of Career and Technical Education for six of those years. During that time he earned his M.S. degree in Agricultural Education from the University of Illinois and his Ph.D. in Agricultural Education from Iowa State University. In 2019, he accepted a position as the District 1 Program Advisor for the Facilitating Coordination in Agricultural Education (FCAE)- a project of the Illinois State Board of Education. He was in that position for a year prior to joining the faculty at Illinois State University in 2020. Dr. Solomonson teaches courses in Agricultural Education, Agricultural Leadership & Communications, and Agricultural Mechanics and Technology.
Current Courses
AGR 491.001 Foundations of Agricultural Education
AGR 299.002 Independent Honor Study
AGR 287.014 Independent Study
AGR 400.004 Independent Study
AGR 130.001 Introduction To Agricultural Engineering Technology
AGR 130.002 Introduction To Agricultural Engineering Technology
AGR 130.003 Introduction To Agricultural Engineering Technology
AGR 231.001 Managing & Teaching In Agricultural & Technology Laboratories
AGR 231.002 Managing & Teaching In Agricultural & Technology Laboratories
AGR 395.001 Professional Seminar In Agriculture Education
AGR 291.015 Undergraduate Teaching Experiences In Agriculture
Teaching Interests & Areas
- Agricultural Education
- Agricultural Leadership and Communications
- Agricultural Mechanics and Technology
Research Interests & Areas
- Agriculture Teacher Recruitment and Retention
- Experiential Learning in Agricultural Education
- Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
PhD Agricultural Education
Iowa State University
Ames, IA
MS Agricultural Education
University of Illinois
Champaign-Urbana, IL
BS Agriculture
Western Illinois University
Macomb, IL
NACTA Educator Award
North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture
2025
Outstanding Researcher Award
Department of Agriculture at Illinois State
2025
Outstanding Service Award
Department of Agriculture at Illinois State
2025
Outstanding Teacher Award
Department of Agriculture at Illinois State
2025
Outstanding Teaching Award- Pre-Tenure
College of Applied Science and Technology
2025
Outstanding Teacher Award
Department of Agriculture at Illinois State
2024
Outstanding Teacher Award
Department of Agriculture at Illinois State
2023
Teacher Educator of the Year
Association for Career & Technical Education- Region 3
2022
Teacher Educator of the Year
Illinois Association for Career and Technical Education (IACTE)
2022
Honorary American FFA Degree
National FFA Organization
2019
NAAE Outstanding Agriculture Teacher- State Winner
Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture Teachers
2019
Section 3 Honorary FFA Degree
Section 3 FFA Organization
2019
Illinois Agriscience Teacher of the Year
Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture Teachers
2016
Quad Cities Master Teacher Award
Quad Cities Dispatch/Rock Island Argus
2013
Quad Cities Leaders Under 40 Award
Black Hawk College Foundation
2012
Honorary State FFA Degree
Illinois Association FFA
2011
IAVAT Excellence in Teaching Award
Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture Teachers
2011
Illinois Farm Bureau Young Leaders Excellence in Agriculture Award
Illinois Farm Bureau
2009
NAAE Outstanding Young Member- State Winner
Illinois Association of Vocational Agriculture Teachers
2007
NAAE Teachers Turn the Key Award Recipient
National Association of Agricultural Educators
2004
Abstract
A silver lining: Constructive outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic experienced by early-career agriculture teachers
Jay Solomonson.
(2025)
Increasing opportunities for FFA members with disabilities: The Agricultural Skills Showcase
Jay Solomonson.
(2025)
The ELS Conference: Induction programming for alternatively licensed agriculture teachers
Jay Solomonson.
(2025)
Gear down! Using the tractor pull challenge to support STEM-focused agriculture teacher professional development
Jay Solomonson.
(2023)
The $100 Solution: A service-learning project for students enrolled in an undergraduate agricultural leadership course
Lucas Maxwell, Jay Solomonson.
(2023)
Using Laerd Statistics as a data analysis, interpretation, and reporting tool in agricultural education research
Trent Wells, Jay Solomonson.
(2023)
Using Photovoice as a reflective practice to evaluate preservice teacher professional development
Amy Leman, Jay Solomonson.
(2023)
Using mock interviews with school administrators to prepare pre-service teachers to successfully navigate the teaching position interview process
Trent Wells, Jay Solomonson.
(2023)
Examining Illinois agriculture teacher perceptions of compensation and the 3 Circles Grant
Jay Solomonson.
(2022)
Examining Illinois school administrators’ perceptions of the Teacher 3 Circles Grant program
Jay Solomonson.
(2022)
Making the connection: Integrating the RealCareer electrical wiring kit into agricultural teacher education
Jay Solomonson.
(2022)
Using virtual reality (VR) technology as an alternative approach to traditional Ag in the classroom field days
Jay Solomonson.
(2022)
What factors influence students’ decisions to pursue agricultural degrees at non-land-grant colleges of agriculture?
Jay Solomonson.
(2022)
Identifying barriers to undergraduate agriculture student participation in registered student organizations
Jay Solomonson.
Book, Chapter
Developing technical agriculture skills through laboratory instruction in school-based agricultural education
Jay Solomonson.
(2024)
Organization and administration of school-based agricultural education systems and FFA
Jay Solomonson.
(2022), Preparing agriculture and agriscience educators for the classroom
Conference Proceeding
A multi-semester examination of students’ perceptions of using a flipped classroom in an introductory-level agricultural mechanics course
Jay Solomonson.
(2023)
A qualitative analysis of factors impacting an agriculture teacher’s ability to achieve positive work-life integration
Jay Solomonson, Lucas Maxwell, Kara Barling, Liz Harris.
(2023)
Barriers impeding the ability of agriculture teachers to achieve positive work-life integration during the school year
Jay Solomonson.
(2023)
Help! A qualitative investigation of social support early career agriculture teachers find most beneficial
Amy Leman, Jay Solomonson, Claire Smith, Adrian Hernandez.
(2023)
What technical agriculture skills do teachers need to teach courses in the animal systems pathway?
Jay Solomonson.
(2022)
What technical agriculture skills do teachers need to teach courses in the plant systems pathway?
Jay Solomonson.
(2022)
Why do Illinois school-based agricultural education teachers stay in the profession?
Jay Solomonson.
(2021)
The role of collaboration throughout the agricultural education student teaching experience.
Jay Solomonson.
(2017)
Journal Article
Investigating the key social supports for early career agricultural education teachers
Amy Leman, Jay Solomonson.
Journal of Agricultural Education, (2025)
Lessons learned: Challenges and triumphs of first-year agriculture teachers during a global pandemic
Shelby Davis, Jay Solomonson, Lucas Maxwell, Steve Still, Andrew Baker.
Journal of Agricultural Education, (2025)
Examining student perceptions of engagement and learning in a flipped introductory agricultural mechanics course
Jay Solomonson, Trent Wells.
NACTA Journal, (2024)
Filling the gap: Factors influencing individuals with no school-based agricultural education background to enter the profession
Jenna Offerman, Lucas Maxwell, Jay Solomonson, Michael Barrowclough.
Journal of Agricultural Education, (2024)
Perceptions of agriculture teachers and school administrators toward compensation and extended contracts
Steven Still, Jay Solomonson.
Journal of Agricultural Education, 65 (3), 204-224, (2024), 10.5032/jae.v65i3.2751
Factors influencing students’ decisions to pursue agricultural degrees at non-land-grant colleges of agriculture
Jay Solomonson, Trent Wells, Brian Rank, Blessing Ugwuanyi.
NACTA Journal, (2023)
Technical agriculture skills teachers need to teach courses in the animal systems pathway
Trent Wells, Jay Solomonson, Mark Hainline, Bryan Rank, Matthew Wilson, Skyler Rinker, Steven Chumbley.
Journal of Agricultural Education, 64 (3), 158-175, (2023), 10.5032/jae.v64i3.117
Exploring relationships between career retention factors and personal and professional characteristics of Illinois agriculture teachers
Jay Solomonson, Steve Still, Lucas Maxwell, Michael Barrowclough.
Journal of Agricultural Education, (2022)
Technical agriculture skills teachers need to teach courses in the plant systems pathway
Jay Solomonson, Trent Wells, Mark Hainline, Brian Rank, Matt Wilson, Skyler Rinker, Steven Boot Chumbley.
Journal of Agricultural Education, (2022)
Factors influencing the decision of Illinois school-based agricultural education teachers to remain in the profession
Jay K Solomonson, Steven M Still, Lucas D Maxwell.
62 (3), 121-137, (2021)
Factors influencing the decision of Illinois school-based agricultural education teachers to remain in the profession
Jay Solomonson.
(2021)
The effect of an interactive classroom app on student performance and non-educational device usage in a college animal science course
Drew Lugar, Michael Barrowclough, Jay Solomonson, Lucas Maxwell.
NACTA Journal, (2021)
The Role of Collaboration Throughout the Agricultural Education Student Teaching Experience
Scott W. Smalley, Jay Solomonson, Kelsey R. Schramm.
Journal of Agricultural Education, 61 (4), 329-342, (2020), 10.5032/jae.2020.04329
Why do they leave and where do they go? A qualitative study of Illinois school-based agriculture teachers who left the profession.
Jay Solomonson.
Journal of Agricultural Education, (2019)
Factors contributing to Illinois school-based agriculture teachers’ final decision to leave the classroom.
Jay Solomonson.
Journal of Agricultural Education, (2018)
Over the edge: Factors nudging mid-career, school-based agriculture teachers out of the profession.
Jay Solomonson.
Journal of Agricultural Education, (2018)
Magazine/Trade Publication
ReimAGining EDucation with AI: Ten uses of artificial intelligence for the high school agriculture teacher
Jay Solomonson.
(2024)
Growing agricultural science teachers in Illinois
Jay Solomonson, Andrew Klein, Lucas Maxwell.
(2023)
Investing in your own: Illinois’ strategies to support and retain beginning agriculture teachers
Jay Solomonson.
(2022)
Avoiding the Burn
Jay Solomonson.
(2021)
Student teaching in a pandemic: It is all about perspective.
Jay Solomonson.
(2021)
Integrating drone technology into the agricultural mechanics curriculum.
Jay Solomonson.
(2020)
Using virtual reality (VR) technology in school-based agricultural education programs.
Kevin Trent Wells, Jay Solomonson.
(2020)
Crazy about co-op: Best practices to create a successful work-based, cooperative education program at your school.
Jay Solomonson.
(2016)
Is agricultural mechanics still relevant in today’s high schools?
Jay Solomonson.
(2015)
The SAE struggle: Tips to get all of your students to have a quality program.
Jay Solomonson.
(2015)
The $100 Solution: Developing student leaders through an innovative service-learning project.
Jay Solomonson.