The education of young people is a vital task in a democracy with significant implications for both for young people themselves and for the state. How authority over schooling should be shared and organized is, therefore, a vital question in a democracy. This dissertation takes on that question and ultimately defends a broadly democratic account…

In response to policy and accountability mandates requiring California community colleges (CCCs) to address disparities in student outcomes, CCCs must adapt to evolving frameworks, funding structures, and parameters (e.g., definitions, equity populations, and metrics). Recent guidance has focused on race-conscious and equity-minded approaches.…

This research study examined inclusive teaching practices, class policies, and course structures in active learning Calculus classes. Analyzing interview data, along with focus group discussions and classroom observations, obtained from 23 students and 4 instructors, themes were extracted through open-coding methodology, employing scholarly…

The college-going journey in rural areas is shaped by a large deficit of information on rurality and higher education. From a neo-institutional and Bourdieuian lens, this study explored the field of rural higher education by (a) centering the actors and organizations in the field, (b) highlighting the internal and external forces that shape and…

Through a landscape analysis and content analysis, this study investigated informal Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education funding and evaluation policies. The primary objectives of this study were to identify informal STEM education funding organizations, and to examine funding priorities and evaluation policies…

This study addresses the need for policy change based on best practices in post-secondary education for students with disabilities. The implementation of federal policies must be reviewed to increase retention and student success for students with disabilities. This research analysis is grounded in social and Disability Diversity DisConnect models…

This study analyzed the vision, operations, and governance structure of state legislature on the College and Career Readiness (CCR) education policy to identify the decision-making process and opportunities and gaps for an equitable K-12 education pathway that challenges a more inclusive implementation of readiness at the state level. I endeavored…

For decades Latinas have been mobilizing their communities to call out and address the injustices they have encountered as women and as students of color (Garcia & Marquez, 2011). Latinas are becoming the fastest-growing minority group in California, and projections indicate this trend is expected to continue (American Association of…

When immigrant youth are harmed by institutional policies and practices that reinforce idealized notions of nationalism and assimilation through subtractive and coercive strategies, school leaders can turn to restorative justice as a technology of resistance. This participatory action research study, with the author as a participant, captures four…

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) is a service agency whose mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access. The COVID-19 pandemic brought a national focus on educational recovery and acceleration efforts, and ED faced a unique opportunity to…

In 1969, the Stonewall riots in New York City marked the launch of the liberation movement for the LGBTQ+ community. In the years that followed, the fight for equal rights and inclusion has permeated society, the court system, professional settings, and academic institutions. The role of colleges and universities, particularly historically black…

This study investigates the impact of various types of absenteeism--excused, unexcused, and suspensions--on 2024 English I and II EOC scores among 9th and 10th graders at a suburban North Texas high school. This quantitative analysis aimed to understand whether different absence types influence academic achievement when controlling for ethnicity…

Performance funding policies are politically popular, however research on performance funding has shown that these policies are ineffective and can have unintended negative consequences, particularly for lower-resourced institutions and underserved students. The purpose of this study was to determine if the Montana University System performance…

School desegregation policies aim to redistribute educational resources and opportunities more equitably, but they have not always done so. Evidence indicates that political factors, including resistance from White parents and legal constraints, have undermined desegregation policies' potential to fulfill their aims. Yet, a few studies suggest…

The purpose of this study is to explore graduation disparities among students with disabilities in the southern region of the United States and assess the impact of IDEA policy implementation within these 11 states. The intent of this research is to establish whether there is a connection between special education policies and graduation rates for…