The purpose of this study was to examine variation in assistant principal (AP) social justice beliefs and high-stakes accountability perceptions and explore how APs balance accountability policies while addressing social justice issues in their schools. 79 assistant principals participated in a phase 1 survey with 10 APs selected to participate in…

The goal of this study was to investigate the effects (as articulated by Stephen Ball) of global and national inclusive education policies on the education of children with disabilities. The study focused on global and national policy influences and stakeholder engagements (perceptions, understanding, interpretations, and translations) of these…

This dissertation critically examines the Colorado Reading to Ensure Academic Development Act (READ Act) through the lens of Critical Discourse Analysis, focusing on the discursive construction of the Act and its impact on educational opportunities for multilingual learners. The study explores the role of power and knowledge in shaping the READ…

Advocates for inclusive diversity with equity, access and accountability (IDEAA) are often torn between individual-level change and institutional-level change processes. Similarly, antiracist scholarship spans individual-level and institutional-level efforts towards antiracism. In discipline-based education research (DBER) in microbiology…

This qualitative instrumental case study examines the practices, curriculum, and experiences of teacher educators and White preservice teachers at one credential program in NorCal through the frameworks of White Racial Identity Development and Critical Pedagogy. This study examined five teaching constructs: policy, pedagogy, curriculum, discourse,…

Today's teachers must navigate a complex system of policy and curriculum, while striving to accommodate increasingly diverse student demographics and complicated social landscapes. In recognition of the modern-day K-2 classroom, this research reviewed and analyzed educational policy language to identify and examine social justice concepts related…

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine six Wisconsin public elementary school principals' perceptions of their implementation of policies and practices aligned with the Learning to Teach for Social Justice -- Beliefs scale and the WI DPI's "Model to Inform Culturally Responsive Practices." Principals chosen…

A quality basic education that allows meaningful learning can serve to eradicate great social differences and conflicts existing in our society. The development of the citizen is one of the main goals of today's education, which seeks to promote the person as a whole. In the present study, I propose an intersection between "Temas…

Black individuals have been disproportionately involved in the criminal justice system in the United States ("Federal Bureau of Prisons," 2022). Because of their criminal justice involvement, Black individuals are perceived as "second-class citizens" making their quest for "freedom" an endless journey impacted by…

In November 2020, the school board governing Patinmay Public Schools (PPS) passed a policy change requiring ethnic studies coursework to graduate. For several years, numerous people have worked to make ethnic studies a possibility for all students. My story with ethnic studies in PPS, however, began more recently in August 2020. Utilizing methods…

Policies in education ensure that educators and educational leaders are receiving and implementing equitable and adequate educational services and opportunities to all students. Some of these policies are proactive and others are reactive. In 2018, Judge Singleton decided in the "Yazzie-Martinez v. NM" (2018) court case the State of NM…

Student activists have been an historic driver of higher education social justice reform. While this form of leadership is central to improving equity outcomes in higher education, scholars and practitioners often view organizational change as a top-down process centering senior administrators, staff, and faculty. Empowering student activists as…

Systemic racism in the United States has a far-reaching impact, including on generational wealth and access to education. Extensive research reveals that Black Americans encounter significant barriers in building generational wealth due to a history of discrimination, including redlining and exclusion from government programs. The absence of…

This study investigated Giay and Hmong young adults' perspectives on Vietnam's contemporary education policy reforms and the sources of higher education inequities that are negatively impacting their communities. Specifically, this study investigated participants' schooling experiences from basic education to higher education. The study employed…

The purpose of conducting this basic qualitative study was to more fully understand marginalized Black males' transformational learning experiences when engaged in mentor-mentee relationship programs. A review of the existing literature revealed that marginalized adult learners' engagement in collaborative education programs enhanced learners'…