He earned a Ph.D. in educational leadership from the University of Michigan, an M.A. in educational administration from Eastern Michigan University, and a B.S. in biology from Alcorn State University. He teaches, among other courses, advanced systems thinking, data-informed decision making, research and evaluation. Prior to joining WMU, Burt served in numerous roles in K-12 education, including school superintendent, and was responsible for leading school reform initiatives in Connecticut and New Jersey.