He studies curriculum and assessment at the state, national, and international levels. His latest book is Defying Standardization: Creating Curriculum for an Uncertain Future.He has public school administration experience as a PK-12 assistant superintendent, middle school principal, director of curriculum and instruction, and elementary school assistant principal. He began his career in education as an elementary school teacher. Tienken is the former editor of the American Association of School Administrators Journal of Scholarship and Practice and the current editor of the Kappa Delta Pi Record.