This report derives its findings from Summer/Fall 2023 phone interviews with 22 facilitators and eight administrators following their participation in Math for All during the 2022-23 school year. The findings, summarized below, provide insight into the implementation experience, including challenges, areas of success, and plans for sustaining and…

This study investigates the impact of per-pupil funding on inclusive placements in special education in New Jersey, focusing on factors influencing inclusive practices. Inclusion is a fundamental right for students with disabilities, requiring adequate funding to be effectively implemented. Using hierarchical linear modeling, this research…

This study investigates what equity-focused school superintendents know and believe about culturally relevant pedagogy and how their leadership practices align with the tenets of culturally responsive leadership. We interviewed a diverse sample of 23 New Jersey district leaders who self-identified or were identified by others as equity oriented.…

Providing an accessible and equitable education for all students has been an ongoing process mandated by the Managing for Equality and Equity initiative to close the achievement and opportunity gaps among students. This qualitative study examined Black superintendents' perspectives about the effectiveness and impact of diversity, equity, and…

In order to address prevalent barriers to equitable education, it is critical for preservice teachers to recognize their potential for enacting change as they prepare to enter Pre-K to 12th grade classrooms. This critical qualitative study focused on preservice teachers' attitudes, perceptions, and views of their unique roles in advancing social…

The purpose of this self-study was to investigate the implementation of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in the music classroom without a district-level music administrator. With two guiding research questions, the study involved using culturally responsive music education and a community of practice to implement DEIB music…

The test-optional movement in American college admissions emerged as a response to the challenged notion that standardized tests, such as the SAT and ACT, predict student success. Research has shown that the tests may be discriminatory towards students from disadvantaged racial and ethnic backgrounds. This study examined two cohorts of incoming…

The disproportionate number of African Americans in special education has been an issue receiving a lot of attention throughout the years. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine influencing factors contributing to the disproportionate number of African Americans in special education being served. This qualitative research study…

Students in Title 1 school districts continue to fall far behind their peers academically in comparison to neighboring suburban districts. School reform has unsuccessfully attempted to improve test scores by consistently changing reading curriculums and mandating the use of various resources that fail when implemented. Struggling school districts…

Providing equitable education for emergent bilinguals (EBs) is an educational goal in the U.S. However, literature has reported that English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers feel marginalized, a reflection of the marginalized status of EBs in the K-12 public school settings. Using a multi-method approach, this case study explored to what extent…

This study explores the efficacy of the Math Workshop Model in enhancing the capacity of secondary mathematics teachers to differentiate instruction, implement equitable teaching practices, and meet the diverse needs of students in mixed-ability classrooms. Through a mixed methods approach, including classroom observations, interviews, and surveys…

Little research has focused on the extent to which community school principals approach family engagement efforts, specifically from an equity-centered perspective. This study examined how community school principals' leadership practices exhibited tenets of Community Equity Literacy. Results from interviews with 13 administrators and 19…

The problem of practice explored in this work was the equitable education of students with disabilities (SWD) in high school science classrooms. This problem was first identified at Hartland High School in New Jersey, where through informal interviews science teachers reported being unprepared to teach SWD. This problem was then investigated…

As states reckon with racial enrollment and attainment gaps in higher education, some have made efforts to address them through their higher education funding. Two common approaches are outcomes-based funding (OBF) and Promise programs, as each can be designed with an explicit race equity lens. This report summarizes a two-year study examining the…

This doctoral dissertation investigates the effects of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) policy on educational equity in New Jersey, focusing on three primary research questions. Firstly, the study examines whether the implementation of NCLB mandates led to the closure of achievement gaps between black and white students, as evidenced by disparities…