His educational background includes earning a B.A. degree in English from Lamar State University, a M.Ed. in secondary school administration at North Texas State University, and a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction at the University of Texas.

Lewis Hodge has enjoyed a uniquely diverse experience in public education. He has taught junior high school English and social studies in Dallas, Texas; served as an education and training officer, Air Training Command, USAF (during the Vietnam era); coordinated the Secondary Teaching Laboratory, University of Texas at Austin, Research and Development Center; in addition to serving as a faculty member at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. As a university professor and consultant, he has teamed with others to evaluate a large school system (Memphis); develop curriculum at all grade levels in small, large, rural, suburban, and inner city schools; implement professional enhancements systems (state and local), and network with others in values education.

Additionally, Dr. Hodge has published numerous professional papers, journal articles, and book chapters on teacher education and citizenship education. He has been active in several professional organizations and honorary societies: the Association for Supervision and Curriculum and Development, the American Educational Research Association, the Association for Moral Education, Kappa Delta Pi, and Phi Delta Kappa. During the 1993-94 academic year, he lectured in Russia, Belarus, and the Ukraine at the invitation of the Russian Ministry of Education on topics related to establishing a new moral and ethically based curriculum for Russian public education.

Lewis Hodge has been recognized throughout his career as a man of character, which has been underscored with honors such as a United States Air Force Commendation Medal, Outstanding Young Men of America Award, and the Governor's Outstanding Tennessean Award.