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- University of Kentucky, Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation, Faculty Memberadd
- Higher Education, Sociology of Education, Critical Race Theory, History of Education, Educational Inequalities (class; race; gender etc), African American Studies, and 12 moreEducational Administration, Latino/A Studies, Accountability, Latino students, High Stakes Testing, Urban Education, English Language Learning, Standards, Affirmative Action, English Language Learners, Education Policy, and Education(Educational Administration, Latino/A Studies, Accountability, Latino students, High Stakes Testing, Urban Education, English Language Learning, Standards, Affirmative Action, English Language Learners, Education Policy, and Education)edit
- Julian Vasquez Heilig serves as the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Western Michigan University. Se... moreJulian Vasquez Heilig serves as the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Western Michigan University. See his full and CV at bit.ly/ProfJVHcv
His executive leadership background includes improving national rankings, implementing successful enrollment and diversity initiatives and co-creating strategic planning for COVID-19.
His research and practice has been primarily focused on K-12 education curriculum, policy and leadership that impacts equity and innovation. A prolific scholar, he has authored more than 70 publications and spoken at hundreds of events— including more than 30 universities and 7 countries. For almost a decade, he has been ranked among the top 200 education scholars in the nation by Edweek.
Provost Vasquez Heilig has conveyed invited testimony in state and national legislative bodies. He has also served as a volunteer education policy advisor and provided input for presidential and gubernatorial campaigns.
He has volunteered expertise and served in advisory roles for higher education, government, schools, foundations, civil rights organizations, and community advocacy non-profits. He has served on the Executive Committee and as Education Co-Chair for the Kentucky and California NAACP.
Provost Julian Vasquez Heilig has been honored with more than 30 teaching, research and service recognitions including Harvard’s Education Next top ten K-12 education policy voices in social media, Diversity in Education Magazine Multicultural Champion for 2015, and the passage of California Assembly Resolution 1459— which commended his state and national impact in the field of K-12 education. He was also commissioned by Governor Andy Beshear as a Kentucky Colonel in 2022.
His work has been cited by the New York Times, Washington Post, Associated Press, USAToday, Education Week, Huffington Post and other print and electronic media outlets. He has also appeared to discuss his research on local and national radio and TV including Al Jazeera, ABC, Fox, CBS, PBS, NBC, NPR, Univision, and MSNBC.
Provost Vasquez Heilig received his Ph.D. in educational administration and policy analysis and a master’s degree in sociology from Stanford University. He also earned a master’s in higher education and a bachelor’s degree in history and psychology from the University of Michigan.(Julian Vasquez Heilig serves as the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Western Michigan University. See his full and CV at bit.ly/ProfJVHcv<br /><br />His executive leadership background includes improving national rankings, implementing successful enrollment and diversity initiatives and co-creating strategic planning for COVID-19.<br /><br />His research and practice has been primarily focused on K-12 education curriculum, policy and leadership that impacts equity and innovation. A prolific scholar, he has authored more than 70 publications and spoken at hundreds of events— including more than 30 universities and 7 countries. For almost a decade, he has been ranked among the top 200 education scholars in the nation by Edweek.<br /><br />Provost Vasquez Heilig has conveyed invited testimony in state and national legislative bodies. He has also served as a volunteer education policy advisor and provided input for presidential and gubernatorial campaigns.<br /><br />He has volunteered expertise and served in advisory roles for higher education, government, schools, foundations, civil rights organizations, and community advocacy non-profits. He has served on the Executive Committee and as Education Co-Chair for the Kentucky and California NAACP.<br /><br />Provost Julian Vasquez Heilig has been honored with more than 30 teaching, research and service recognitions including Harvard’s Education Next top ten K-12 education policy voices in social media, Diversity in Education Magazine Multicultural Champion for 2015, and the passage of California Assembly Resolution 1459— which commended his state and national impact in the field of K-12 education. He was also commissioned by Governor Andy Beshear as a Kentucky Colonel in 2022.<br /><br />His work has been cited by the New York Times, Washington Post, Associated Press, USAToday, Education Week, Huffington Post and other print and electronic media outlets. He has also appeared to discuss his research on local and national radio and TV including Al Jazeera, ABC, Fox, CBS, PBS, NBC, NPR, Univision, and MSNBC.<br /><br />Provost Vasquez Heilig received his Ph.D. in educational administration and policy analysis and a master’s degree in sociology from Stanford University. He also earned a master’s in higher education and a bachelor’s degree in history and psychology from the University of Michigan.)edit - Linda Darling-Hammondedit
In this study we examine how school leaders in urban districts have responded to the Chilean universal school voucher system. We conducted interviews with public district school officials and principals in Santiago, Chile. We found that... more
In this study we examine how school leaders in urban districts have responded to the Chilean universal school voucher system. We conducted interviews with public district school officials and principals in Santiago, Chile. We found that school leaders in the wealthy public schools have confronted the market policy by implementing similar cream-skimming measures as private-voucher schools. In comparison, the poorer public-municipal schools are not able to select their students. The respondents in our study elucidated that parent and student choice is limited because specific family and student characteristics (i.e. SES background, test scores), as well as the family/student residence within the city (in a relatively wealthy or poor section of the city) influence the spectrum of opportunities a student will have and the school he/she will enter. As a result, the voucher system introduces educational opportunities for students who have the capital (pecuniary and non-pecuniary) to enabl...
education policy analysis archives A peer-reviewed, independent, open access, multilingual journal
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Education, Educational Leadership, Educational Administration, International Law, Educational Research, and 15 morePolitical Science, Politics, History of Chile, Education Policy, Chile, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Chilean Politics, Educational Administration and Leadership, Educational Policy Studies, Educational admnistration, Historia de Chile, Educational Administration and Supervision, Politics of Education, Administration of Educational Organisations, and Educational Administration and Management(Political Science, Politics, History of Chile, Education Policy, Chile, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Chilean Politics, Educational Administration and Leadership, Educational Policy Studies, Educational admnistration, Historia de Chile, Educational Administration and Supervision, Politics of Education, Administration of Educational Organisations, and Educational Administration and Management)
(Political Science, Politics, History of Chile, Education Policy, Chile, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Chilean Politics, Educational Administration and Leadership, Educational Policy Studies, Educational admnistration, Historia de Chile, Educational Administration and Supervision, Politics of Education, Administration of Educational Organisations, and Educational Administration and Management)
In this article, Julian Vasquez Heilig, Keffrelyn Brown, and Anthony Brown offer findings from a close textual analysis of how the Texas social studies standards address race, racism, and communities of color. Using the lens of critical... more
In this article, Julian Vasquez Heilig, Keffrelyn Brown, and Anthony Brown offer findings from a close textual analysis of how the Texas social studies standards address race, racism, and communities of color. Using the lens of critical race theory, the authors uncover the sometimes subtle ways that the standards can appear to adequately address race while at the same time marginalizing it—the “illusion of inclusion.” Their study offers insight into the mechanisms of marginalization in standards and a model of how to closely analyze such standards, which, the authors argue, is increasingly important as the standards and accountability movements continue to grow in influence.
Research Interests: Critical Theory, Sociology, Education, Teacher Education, Race and Racism, and 12 moreCurriculum Studies, Critical Race Theory, Race and Ethnicity, Politics, Standards, Curriculum Theory, Neoliberalism, Educational reform, Curriculum and Instruction, Curriculum, Harvard University, and Urban Education Reform
School finance disparity continues to pervade the schooling pipeline. Few solutions exist that reduce inequity across the United States, and research has contextualized the historical struggle for equity as existing in large part due to... more
School finance disparity continues to pervade the schooling pipeline. Few solutions exist that reduce inequity across the United States, and research has contextualized the historical struggle for equity as existing in large part due to school funding policies that rely heavily on local level tax levies to support public schooling. Furthermore, race-based stratification that divides school districts, and thus divides school district funding, privileges higher income White districts over lower-income BIPOC districts. To address the persistent school finance disparity, in this Article we examine school finance research and litigation epistemology. We posit that resource availability is a civil right and argue that school funding equity is necessary to resolve challenges impacting BIPOC communities. Finally, we explore an opportunity-to-learn framework as a meaningful solution to mitigating disparity.
Research Interests:
To analyze the counternarrative in the public discourse surrounding Teach For America (TFA), this paper represents the first digital ethnography in education policy. We conduct a qualitative analysis of Truth For America, an education... more
To analyze the counternarrative in the public discourse surrounding Teach For America (TFA), this paper represents the first digital ethnography in education policy. We conduct a qualitative analysis of Truth For America, an education policy podcast. We found four overarching themes that arose from conversations with respondents: (1) problematic practice, preparation, and pedagogy; (2) concerns linked to critiquing TFA and the organization's responses to that critique; (3) issues related to race and diversity; and (4) disconcerting funding practices and political power. We conclude by discussing the implications of how individual-level stakeholder experiences inform the public discourse about TFA.
Research Interests: Business, History, Sociology, Economics, Communication, and 15 moreEducation, Educational Leadership, Social Sciences, Teacher Education, Ethnography, Higher Education, Educational Psychology, Educational Research, Political Science, Urban Education, Podcasting, Education Policy, Qualitative Research, Teach for America, and Educational Policy
We conduct descriptive and inferential analyses of publicly available Common Core of Data (CCD) to examine segregation at the local, state, and national levels. Nationally, we find that higher percentages of charter students of every race... more
We conduct descriptive and inferential analyses of publicly available Common Core of Data (CCD) to examine segregation at the local, state, and national levels. Nationally, we find that higher percentages of charter students of every race attend intensely segregated schools. The highest levels of racial isolation are at the primary level for public and middle level for charters. We find that double segregation by race and class is higher in charter schools. Charters are more likely to be segregated, even when controlling for local ethnoracial demographics. A majority of states have at least half of Blacks and a third of Latinx in intensely segregated charters. At the city level, we find that higher percentages of urban charter students were attending intensely segregated schools.
Vasquez Heilig. J., Brewer, J. and Williams, Y. (2019). Choice without inclusion?: Comparing the intensity of racial segregation in charters and public schools at the local, state and national levels. Journal of Education Sciences, 9(3), 1-17.
Vasquez Heilig. J., Brewer, J. and Williams, Y. (2019). Choice without inclusion?: Comparing the intensity of racial segregation in charters and public schools at the local, state and national levels. Journal of Education Sciences, 9(3), 1-17.
Research Interests: Business, History, Sociology, Psychology, Philosophy, and 15 moreEducation, Social Policy, Educational Leadership, Teacher Education, Educational Administration, Educational Research, Political Science, Education (Social Policy), Critical Race Theory, Race and Ethnicity, Education Policy, Charter schools, Public Policy Analysis, School Choice, and Public Policy(Education, Social Policy, Educational Leadership, Teacher Education, Educational Administration, Educational Research, Political Science, Education (Social Policy), Critical Race Theory, Race and Ethnicity, Education Policy, Charter schools, Public Policy Analysis, School Choice, and Public Policy)
(Education, Social Policy, Educational Leadership, Teacher Education, Educational Administration, Educational Research, Political Science, Education (Social Policy), Critical Race Theory, Race and Ethnicity, Education Policy, Charter schools, Public Policy Analysis, School Choice, and Public Policy)
To conceptualize the politics of research on school choice, it is important to discuss the politics of market-based approaches within the broader purview of public policy. Modern notions of "markets" and "choice" in schooling stem from... more
To conceptualize the politics of research on school choice, it is important to discuss the politics of market-based approaches within the broader purview of public policy. Modern notions of "markets" and "choice" in schooling stem from the libertarian ideas Milton Friedman espoused in the 1950s. Considering the underlying politics of school choice, it is important to examine the ramifications of neoliberal and collective ideology on market-based school choice research. In this chapter we point out that much of the research suggesting positive findings is continually conducted and promoted by neoliberal ideologically-driven organizations. We begin with a synthesis of the pertinent literature on the conceptions and the funding of market-based school choice research to establish a background of understanding. Next we discuss the role of the production and politics of market-based school choice research for conceptualizing the current educational policy environment. In the third section, we delved into the politics of community use of market-based school choice research. We conclude by discussing the implications of how the comingling of ideology, methods and funding informs the public discourse about market-based schools choice and fit into the larger conversation about education reform.
Research Interests: Business, Marketing, History, Sociology, Philosophy, and 15 moreEducation, Humanities, Educational Leadership, Social Sciences, Teacher Education, Research Methodology, Higher Education, Educational Research, Political Science, Education Policy, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Charter schools, Curriculum and Instruction, School Choice, and Public Policy(Education, Humanities, Educational Leadership, Social Sciences, Teacher Education, Research Methodology, Higher Education, Educational Research, Political Science, Education Policy, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Charter schools, Curriculum and Instruction, School Choice, and Public Policy)
(Education, Humanities, Educational Leadership, Social Sciences, Teacher Education, Research Methodology, Higher Education, Educational Research, Political Science, Education Policy, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Charter schools, Curriculum and Instruction, School Choice, and Public Policy)
Diversity, equity and inclusion should be widely promoted across disciplines, colleges, and a university’s intellectual community to positively impact educational practices and outcomes. It is important that our nation’s college and... more
Diversity, equity and inclusion should be widely promoted across disciplines, colleges, and a university’s intellectual community to positively impact educational practices and outcomes. It is important that our nation’s college and universities centrally value gender and ethnoracial diversity that fits within the framework of the law in the admissions processes and the recruitment and employment of faculty, two areas uniquely separate and distinct in their legal analyses. Notably, propositions, legislation and judicial decisions have challenged policies crafted to increase diversity in education in some states, particularly, in the context of admissions in higher education, while the U.S. Supreme Court has allowed race to be considered as a “plus” factor. Considering the legal context surrounding higher education admissions, it is important for leaders and administrators in higher education to understand whether universities and colleges have advanced greater diversity among faculty given this legal environment. Our discussion focuses on what higher education leaders are facing with respect to faculty diversity given the legal context surrounding affirmative action and admissions processes. We note differences in gender and ethnoracial diversity by institution type (Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral). We also find that in recent years, gains in faculty diversity in U.S. college and university intellectual communities were largely minimal.
Research Interests: Sociology, Constitutional Law, Education, Teacher Education, Diversity, and 15 moreHigher Education, Mathematics Education, Educational Research, Political Science, Education (Social Policy), Politics, Equality and Diversity, Education Policy, Diversity & Inclusion, Higher Education Management, Cultural Diversity, Higher Education Policy, Education and Social Policy, Educational Policy Studies, and Education Politics and Planning(Higher Education, Mathematics Education, Educational Research, Political Science, Education (Social Policy), Politics, Equality and Diversity, Education Policy, Diversity & Inclusion, Higher Education Management, Cultural Diversity, Higher Education Policy, Education and Social Policy, Educational Policy Studies, and Education Politics and Planning)
(Higher Education, Mathematics Education, Educational Research, Political Science, Education (Social Policy), Politics, Equality and Diversity, Education Policy, Diversity & Inclusion, Higher Education Management, Cultural Diversity, Higher Education Policy, Education and Social Policy, Educational Policy Studies, and Education Politics and Planning)
Inspired by a lively discussion during the Southeastern Philosophy of Education Society's annual meeting in 2017, this special issue explores the roles, purposes, possibilities, and caveats of leveraging digital communication technologies... more
Inspired by a lively discussion during the Southeastern Philosophy of Education Society's annual meeting in 2017, this special issue explores the roles, purposes, possibilities, and caveats of leveraging digital communication technologies (e.g., blogs, social media, etc.) within the academy. As scholars continue to grapple with and integrate new forms of understanding and new methods of disseminating their work, what, then, becomes the role of the public scholar? This issue explores the purposeful engagement of scholarly work and insight in new and traditional media to disseminate knowledge into the public discourse as a potential evolution of academia's mores.
Research Interests:
To make the case for academia's engagement in knowledge mobilization and public scholarship in social media, we begin by providing a justification for the use of new technological modes for integrating scholarly endeavors. As an example,... more
To make the case for academia's engagement in knowledge mobilization and public scholarship in social media, we begin by providing a justification for the use of new technological modes for integrating scholarly endeavors. As an example, Sun Tzu's Art of War philosophy is applied to academic scholarship within the present school reform discourse and education privatization landscape. Next, we discuss how public scholarship in social media can impact aspects of the profession such as peer-reviewed work, the tenure process and commitment to community-engaged research. We conclude that public scholarship and the mobilization of empirical work into social media is an important endeavor to address the persisting lack of scholarly influence and relevance of academics in the public discourse.
Research Interests: Management, Sociology, Philosophy, Education, Humanities, and 14 moreEducational Technology, Social Sciences, Teacher Education, Research Methodology, Higher Education, Digital Media, Leadership, Educational Research, Political Science, Politics, Digital Media & Learning, Social Media, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, and Public Policy
Vouchers, an old idea, are once again gaining prominence in the U.S. educational policy discourse. Numerous countries have extensively experimented with vouchers and a market-based system, and, as a result, a multitude of approaches have... more
Vouchers, an old idea, are once again gaining prominence in the U.S. educational policy discourse. Numerous countries have extensively experimented with vouchers and a market-based system, and, as
a result, a multitude of approaches have emerged. As a result, other countries’ implementation of vouchers can help inform U.S. educational policymakers regarding outcomes for students.
a result, a multitude of approaches have emerged. As a result, other countries’ implementation of vouchers can help inform U.S. educational policymakers regarding outcomes for students.
Research Interests:
The predominance of research and data examining public education privatization in Chicago indicate that there are few financial savings, decreased student achievement, increased racial inequality, increased class size, and increased... more
The predominance of research and data examining public education privatization in Chicago indicate that there are few financial savings, decreased student achievement, increased racial inequality, increased class size, and increased violence. Considering these outcomes, educators and community-based stakeholders have not remained silent in the face of this apparent injustice. In this paper, we examine teacher and community-based activism in Chicago situated amongst the local and broader reform efforts to which they fight against. We focus on strategies implemented by educator and community based activists in response to the broader aims of school reforms, those specific to Chicago, and more broadly across the United States. We conclude by discussing the implications of the strategies that have been borne out of the activism in Chicago as well as across the country.
Research Interests: History, Sociology, Psychology, Education, Sociology of Education, and 14 moreSpecial Education, Educational Leadership, Teacher Education, Higher Education, Mathematics Education, Leadership, Educational Psychology, Educational Research, Political Science, Race and Ethnicity, Education Policy, Charter schools, Educación, and Public Policy
In this article, we outline how notions of accountability and the achievement gap have relied upon the massive expansion of high-stakes exams in our nation’s schools. More than a decade of national education policy focused on high-stakes... more
In this article, we outline how notions of accountability and the
achievement gap have relied upon the massive expansion of high-stakes
exams in our nation’s schools. More than a decade of national education policy focused on high-stakes testing and accountability—despite that the fact that the rise of high-stakes testing also involved considerable legal, ethical, and social considerations. The practice of spending large amounts of time on test preparation and test taking must be reversed lest we continue on the path of maintaining schools solely as machinery for stratification. The foundation of high-stakes testing in the United States clearly has roots connecting the practice of sorting with the eugenics movement, which sought to “prove” through testing the existence of a racial hierarchy of intelligence. This foundation, in addition to market- and business-oriented ideology, has reinforced the racist under- and overtones of testocracy in the United States and has neither closed the achievement gap nor fomented meaningful accountability or success.
Vasquez Heilig. J., Brewer, J. & Pedraza, J. (2018). Examining the myth of accountability, high-stakes testing and the achievement gap, Journal of Family Strengths, 18(1), 1-14.
achievement gap have relied upon the massive expansion of high-stakes
exams in our nation’s schools. More than a decade of national education policy focused on high-stakes testing and accountability—despite that the fact that the rise of high-stakes testing also involved considerable legal, ethical, and social considerations. The practice of spending large amounts of time on test preparation and test taking must be reversed lest we continue on the path of maintaining schools solely as machinery for stratification. The foundation of high-stakes testing in the United States clearly has roots connecting the practice of sorting with the eugenics movement, which sought to “prove” through testing the existence of a racial hierarchy of intelligence. This foundation, in addition to market- and business-oriented ideology, has reinforced the racist under- and overtones of testocracy in the United States and has neither closed the achievement gap nor fomented meaningful accountability or success.
Vasquez Heilig. J., Brewer, J. & Pedraza, J. (2018). Examining the myth of accountability, high-stakes testing and the achievement gap, Journal of Family Strengths, 18(1), 1-14.
Research Interests: Black Studies Or African American Studies, Education, Social Policy, Educational Leadership, Teacher Education, and 15 moreEducational Administration, Leadership, Educational Research, Educational evaluation, Politics, Social Justice, Education Policy, Qualitative Research, High Stakes Testing, Testing, Achievement Gaps, Academic achievement, Educational Leadership and Management, Public Administration and Policy, and Public Policy(Educational Administration, Leadership, Educational Research, Educational evaluation, Politics, Social Justice, Education Policy, Qualitative Research, High Stakes Testing, Testing, Achievement Gaps, Academic achievement, Educational Leadership and Management, Public Administration and Policy, and Public Policy)
(Educational Administration, Leadership, Educational Research, Educational evaluation, Politics, Social Justice, Education Policy, Qualitative Research, High Stakes Testing, Testing, Achievement Gaps, Academic achievement, Educational Leadership and Management, Public Administration and Policy, and Public Policy)
Does the African American Need Separate Charter Schools? To address this question, we analyze legal precedents, scholarly research, and historical evidence. We begin in Part I by revisiting several seminal cases related to segregation and... more
Does the African American Need Separate Charter Schools? To address this question, we analyze legal precedents, scholarly research, and historical evidence. We begin in Part I by revisiting several seminal cases related to segregation and schools. We review in Part II empirical research on charters and segregation. Then, in Part III we examine historical evidence to understand whether school choice and charters represent self-determination and empowerment for African Americans. We conclude by proposing an answer to Du Bois’s century-old question about whether separate, segregated schools are in the best interests of African American communities: they are not.
Research Interests: Black Studies Or African American Studies, Education, Educational Leadership, Higher Education, Segregation, and 24 moreEducational Research, Education (Social Policy), Urban Education, Education Policy, African American History, African American Studies, Politics Of Education, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Charter schools, Educational Management, Education Law (Education), Educational management and leadership, School Choice, African-American Political Thought, Jim Crow Segregation, Educational Policy Studies, Education Law, African Americans, Educational Leadership and Management, Educational Foundations and Leadership, New Jim Crow, Education Politics and Planning, W.E.B. DuBois, and Educational Administration and Management(Educational Research, Education (Social Policy), Urban Education, Education Policy, African American History, African American Studies, Politics Of Education, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Charter schools, Educational Management, Education Law (Education), Educational management and leadership, School Choice, African-American Political Thought, Jim Crow Segregation, Educational Policy Studies, Education Law, African Americans, Educational Leadership and Management, Educational Foundations and Leadership, New Jim Crow, Education Politics and Planning, W.E.B. DuBois, and Educational Administration and Management)
(Educational Research, Education (Social Policy), Urban Education, Education Policy, African American History, African American Studies, Politics Of Education, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Charter schools, Educational Management, Education Law (Education), Educational management and leadership, School Choice, African-American Political Thought, Jim Crow Segregation, Educational Policy Studies, Education Law, African Americans, Educational Leadership and Management, Educational Foundations and Leadership, New Jim Crow, Education Politics and Planning, W.E.B. DuBois, and Educational Administration and Management)
A recent report released by the University of Arkansas Department of Education Reform contends that charter schools produce more achievement per dollar invested, as compared to public schools. This newest report is focused on city-level... more
A recent report released by the University of Arkansas Department of Education Reform contends that charter schools produce more achievement per dollar invested, as compared to public schools. This newest report is focused on city-level analyses in eight US cities (Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Houston, Indianapolis, New York City, San Antonio,
and Washington D.C.) and uses cost effectiveness and Return on Investment (ROI) ratios. It concludes that charter schools deliver a weighted average of an additional 4.34 NAEP reading points and 4.73 NAEP math points per $1000 invested. The report also argues that that charter schools offer an advantage of $1.77 in lifetime earnings for
each dollar invested, representing a ROI benefit of 38%. However, there are a variety of methodological choices made by the authors that threaten the validity of the results. For example, the report uses revenues rather than actual expenditures – despite well-established critiques of this approach. The report also fails to account for the non-comparability of the student populations in charter and comparison public schools. Three other problems also undercut the report’s claims. First, even though the think tank’s earlier productivity report included a caveat saying that causal claims would not be appropriate, the new report omits that caution. Second, the report’s lack of specificity plagues the accuracy and validity of its calculations; e.g., using state-level data in city-level analyses and completely excluding race and gender. Finally, the authors again fail to
reconcile their report with the extensive literature of contrary findings.
and Washington D.C.) and uses cost effectiveness and Return on Investment (ROI) ratios. It concludes that charter schools deliver a weighted average of an additional 4.34 NAEP reading points and 4.73 NAEP math points per $1000 invested. The report also argues that that charter schools offer an advantage of $1.77 in lifetime earnings for
each dollar invested, representing a ROI benefit of 38%. However, there are a variety of methodological choices made by the authors that threaten the validity of the results. For example, the report uses revenues rather than actual expenditures – despite well-established critiques of this approach. The report also fails to account for the non-comparability of the student populations in charter and comparison public schools. Three other problems also undercut the report’s claims. First, even though the think tank’s earlier productivity report included a caveat saying that causal claims would not be appropriate, the new report omits that caution. Second, the report’s lack of specificity plagues the accuracy and validity of its calculations; e.g., using state-level data in city-level analyses and completely excluding race and gender. Finally, the authors again fail to
reconcile their report with the extensive literature of contrary findings.
Research Interests: Economics, Education, Educational Leadership, Educational Administration, Educational Research, and 12 moreEconomics of Education, Educational evaluation, Educational Equity and Justice, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Charter schools, Educational reform, Educational Management, Educational management and leadership, Educational, Education Reform, Educational studies, and Educational Leadership and Management(Economics of Education, Educational evaluation, Educational Equity and Justice, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Charter schools, Educational reform, Educational Management, Educational management and leadership, Educational, Education Reform, Educational studies, and Educational Leadership and Management)
(Economics of Education, Educational evaluation, Educational Equity and Justice, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Charter schools, Educational reform, Educational Management, Educational management and leadership, Educational, Education Reform, Educational studies, and Educational Leadership and Management)
The aim of this special issue of Journal of Transformative Leadership and Policy Studies is to provide new insight and directions for research on charter schools. The authors poignantly address many important issues including regulation,... more
The aim of this special issue of Journal of Transformative Leadership and Policy Studies is to provide new insight and directions for research on charter schools. The authors poignantly address many important issues including regulation, authorization, and organizational culture. Each of these topics are critical in ensuring that young people from communities of color receive an education which both enlightens and empowers. Communities must be the leading voice in the education of their children. Otherwise charter schools are prolonging the national disservice to students of color in their name. W.E.B Du Bois once said, “Education and work are the levers to uplift a people.” If education truly does serve as the great equalizer for students of color within modern society, then it is essential to ensure that charter schools contribute to their success and not the perpetuation of longstanding inequality.
Research Interests:
A simple narrative purporting the benefits of student and parental choice within a market-based approach to education is the foundation of voucher discourse. Voucher policy proponents claim vouchers will increase parent choice, individual... more
A simple narrative purporting the benefits of student and parental choice within a market-based approach to education is the foundation of voucher discourse. Voucher policy proponents claim vouchers will increase parent choice, individual control over tax dollars, and create a competitive marketplace for students, especially those who are most disadvantaged (NEA, 2014). To advance the policy discussion, this brief offers a compendium of recent data and research on the U.S. domestic implementation of vouchers in order to inform policymakers of real-world outcomes and their implications for students and families.
Research Interests:
The extent to which special student populations (ELL, Special Education and Economically Disadvantaged) gain access to charter schools is understudied. In this article, we compare the enrollment of high-need special populations in charter... more
The extent to which special student populations (ELL, Special Education and Economically Disadvantaged) gain access to charter schools is understudied. In this article, we compare the enrollment of high-need special populations in charter schools with non-charter public schools at the state, district, and local levels. State-level dissimilarity analyses show only modest disparities in segregation and access of high-need students within the Texas charter system compared to traditional public schools. However, local-level descriptive and geospatial analyses of charters in a large metropolitan area shows that there are large disparities in the enrollment of high-need students relative to traditional public schools nearby. We conclude by discussing implications for law and policy.
Research Interests: Education, Teaching English as a Second Language, Special Education, Educational Leadership, Segregation, and 13 moreEducational Research, Urban Studies, Educational Equity and Justice, Charter schools, Special Educational Needs, Special Education Teacher Education, English Language Learners, Early Childhood Special Education, Educational management and leadership, School Choice, Special Education Needs and Inclusive Practice, Special needs education, and Public Policy(Educational Research, Urban Studies, Educational Equity and Justice, Charter schools, Special Educational Needs, Special Education Teacher Education, English Language Learners, Early Childhood Special Education, Educational management and leadership, School Choice, Special Education Needs and Inclusive Practice, Special needs education, and Public Policy)
(Educational Research, Urban Studies, Educational Equity and Justice, Charter schools, Special Educational Needs, Special Education Teacher Education, English Language Learners, Early Childhood Special Education, Educational management and leadership, School Choice, Special Education Needs and Inclusive Practice, Special needs education, and Public Policy)
This article focuses on the state of African American males in the Central Southwestern region of the United States (Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas), regarding population distribution,... more
This article focuses on the state of African American males in the Central Southwestern region of the United States (Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas), regarding population distribution, education, and incarceration rates. The authors propose mentoring as one potential intervention to address the generally negative educational and correctional trends for African American males.
Local control has been a bedrock principle of public schooling in America since its inception. In 2013, the California Legislature codified a new local accountability approach for school finance. An important component of the new... more
Local control has been a bedrock principle of public schooling in America since its inception. In 2013, the California Legislature codified a new local accountability approach for school finance. An important component of the new California Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) approach is a focus on English learners (ELs). The law mandates that every school district produce a Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) to engage the local community in defining outcomes and determining funding for ELs. Based on an exploratory analysis of a representative sample of LCAPs, we show that, although California’s new approach offered an opportunity to support locally-defined priorities and alternatives to top-down accountability, few if any districts had yet taken full advantage of the opportunity. That is, the school districts in our sample had not yet engaged with the local community to facilitate significant changes to accountability or redistribution of funding and resources to support educational equity for ELs.
Considering the promise with which NCLB came to prominence as a panacea to improve education as systemic reform, it is an important exercise to contextualize the impact of the reform on urban education over the past decade. We then use... more
Considering the promise with which NCLB came to prominence as a panacea to improve education as systemic reform, it is an important exercise to contextualize the impact of the reform on urban education over the past decade. We then use postcolonial theory to conceptualize why NCLB failed to close the achievement gaps in urban schools due to its hegemonic approach to educational policy. Approaches to reform that find their origins in postcolonial educational apparatuses were never meant to serve vanquished, marginalized populations, rather only to exploit them. As alternative to NCLB for urban education, we then revisit structural issues that have been largely ignored during the NCLB era and also pose a new community-based direction for accountability that is counterhegemonic.
(We believe this is the first place in print where the idea for community-based, multiple-measure local accountability was discussed— which became the LCAPs in California)
(We believe this is the first place in print where the idea for community-based, multiple-measure local accountability was discussed— which became the LCAPs in California)
Research Interests:
The goal of this chapter is to consider the interrelation among equity, high-stakes testing and accountability as they relate to evolving roles of today’s school leaders. As educational policy has developed over the past eighty years, a... more
The goal of this chapter is to consider the interrelation among equity, high-stakes testing and accountability as they relate to evolving roles of today’s school leaders. As educational policy has developed over the past eighty years, a rapidly growing fear and uncertainty has emerged around the “core technology” of education (Young and Brewer, 2008). As a result, many schools leaders feel as if their work has changed dramatically, from a focus on curriculum and instruction to one on assessment and intervention (McNeil, 2005). The intense focus on test results and how those results are used and shared with the public has left many school leaders feeling disillusioned, anxious and uncertain about the decisions they make (Vasquez Heilig & Darling-Hammond, 2008). Consequently, school leaders face a quandary over how best to manage their schools when policy-driven accountability mandates conflict with curriculum-based, student-centered instructional practice—an issue particularly salient among leaders serving in historically low performing schools and where leaders are often rewarded for discarding the neediest underperforming students (Vasquez Heilig, Young, & Williams, 2012). As we discuss in this chapter, for many school leaders in low-performing schools, the exclusion of at-risk students from school appears to be a rational response to the quandary fomented by the current educational policy environment.
This article conducts a meta-analysis of results of studies by Andrieu (1991), DeAngelis (1998), and Liseo (2005) to assess changes over time in the effects of nancial aid and other factors on graduate student persistence. A descriptive... more
This article conducts a meta-analysis of results of studies by Andrieu (1991), DeAngelis (1998), and Liseo (2005) to assess changes over time in the effects of nancial aid and other factors on graduate student persistence. A descriptive review of the studies nds that combination aid packages encouraged persistence in 1987 (Andrieu, 1991), while any aid promoted persistence in 1993 (DeAngelis, 1998). In 2000, loans and assistantships, as well as tuition increases, were related to persistence (Liseo, 2005), demonstrating that available aid may offset tuitions at private institutions. The individual studies demonstrate the signi cance of differing nancial variables during different time periods. The meta-analysis demonstrates that every form of aid is signi cant in promoting graduate student persistence and that grants, in particular, offer the greatest bang for the buck among this population. These ndings present policy implications for improving graduate student retention.
Research Interests:
Public concern about pervasive inequalities in traditional public schools, combined with growing political, parental, and corporate support, has created the expectation that charter schools are the solution for educating minorities,... more
Public concern about pervasive inequalities in traditional public schools, combined with growing political, parental, and corporate support, has created the expectation that charter schools are the solution for educating minorities, particularly Black youth. There is a paucity of research on the educational attainment of Black youth in privately operated charters, particularly on the issue of attrition. This paper finds that on average peer urban districts in Texas show lower incidence of Black student dropouts and leavers relative to charters. The data also show that despite the claims that 88-90% of the children attending KIPP charters go on to college, their attrition rate for Black secondary students surpasses that of their peer urban districts. And this is in spite of KIPP spending 30–60% more per pupil than comparable urban districts. The analyses also show that the vast majority of privately operated charter districts in Texas serve very few Black students.
Research Interests:
Findings from this study show that educational and mobility opportunities for families and students participating in the Chilean voucher system are not homogenously distributed. Some families and students use and benefit from the... more
Findings from this study show that educational and mobility opportunities
for families and students participating in the Chilean voucher system are not
homogenously distributed. Some families and students use and benefit from the
system, while others will remain marginalized. The quantitative results in this study
demonstrate that students of relatively higher SES living in mid-high or mid-low
poverty districts receive the benefit from vouchers. These students may move from
one public school to another, from a public school to private-voucher school in the
same area, from one district to another, or from a public school in an area to a
private-voucher school in another district. Meanwhile, low-income counterparts
living in high-poverty areas are excluded
for families and students participating in the Chilean voucher system are not
homogenously distributed. Some families and students use and benefit from the
system, while others will remain marginalized. The quantitative results in this study
demonstrate that students of relatively higher SES living in mid-high or mid-low
poverty districts receive the benefit from vouchers. These students may move from
one public school to another, from a public school to private-voucher school in the
same area, from one district to another, or from a public school in an area to a
private-voucher school in another district. Meanwhile, low-income counterparts
living in high-poverty areas are excluded
Research Interests: Vouchers()
()
In an effort to understand what infl uences student achievement and the gap between ethnic minority and White students, many variables have been analyzed, such as student, teacher, community, and school characteristics as well as fi... more
In an effort to understand what infl uences student achievement and the gap between ethnic minority and White students, many variables have been analyzed, such as student, teacher, community, and school characteristics as well as fi nancial expenditures. However, there is a dearth of research on variables associated with student achievement in Latina/o majority schools in urban districts. As the majority of Latina/o students are
segregated into central cities (Arias, 1986) and Latina/o achievement issues tend to start in the first three years of school (Espinosa & Ochoa, 1986), a study focused on urban elementary schools would help decipher what variables affect Latina/o student achievement during the first few years of school. Considering the continuing challenge of the Latina/o achievement gap, an analysis to understand the relationship between key inputs and Latino/a student achievement is important. The purpose of the research
was to better understand the association between fi nancial resources, student demographics, school capacity, and student achievement in majority Latina/o schools. This study asked the following questions: What inputs are related to school level status and growth of mathematics and reading
segregated into central cities (Arias, 1986) and Latina/o achievement issues tend to start in the first three years of school (Espinosa & Ochoa, 1986), a study focused on urban elementary schools would help decipher what variables affect Latina/o student achievement during the first few years of school. Considering the continuing challenge of the Latina/o achievement gap, an analysis to understand the relationship between key inputs and Latino/a student achievement is important. The purpose of the research
was to better understand the association between fi nancial resources, student demographics, school capacity, and student achievement in majority Latina/o schools. This study asked the following questions: What inputs are related to school level status and growth of mathematics and reading
Research Interests:
High school exit exam requirements are affecting a growing number of U.S. students—particularly low-income students and students of color. This article examines the policy and legal landscape of exit testing policy to shed light on some... more
High school exit exam requirements are affecting a growing number of U.S. students—particularly low-income students and students of color. This article examines the policy and legal landscape of exit testing policy to shed light on some of the key issues facing local school leaders charged with implementing these policies. The article first analyzes federal and state court cases related to exit testing and examines the conditions under which courts have permitted and bounded their use. It then discuses the broader legal and legislative environment that has affected leaders' ability to respond to exit testing requirements. The article concludes with implications of high-stakes exit testing and policy considerations for local leaders as well as state policymakers.
Research Interests:
English learners (ELs) are facing unique issues in higher education that remain largely unexplored. This research focuses on college choice, enrollment, and grad- uation among high-achieving ELs who were eligible for automatic admission... more
English learners (ELs) are facing unique issues in higher education that remain largely unexplored. This research focuses on college choice, enrollment, and grad- uation among high-achieving ELs who were eligible for automatic admission to any public higher education institution in Texas by having graduated in the top 10% of their high school class. We found that large enrollment gains for ELs were not observed until revised Texas DREAM (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) legislation stipulated that immigrant students fulfilling reformulated residency requirements were entitled to in-state tuition rates. The majority of top 10% ELs enrolled at border institutions, were largely first-generation college stu- dents, and experienced generally higher cohort graduation rates at Texas flagship universities.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
There have been numerous calls to increase quantitative studies examining the role of culturally responsive schooling (CRS) on American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) achievement. The National Indian Education Study (NIES) is the only... more
There have been numerous calls to increase quantitative studies examining the
role of culturally responsive schooling (CRS) on American Indian and Alaska
Native (AIAN) achievement. The National Indian Education Study (NIES) is
the only large-scale study focused on (AIAN) students’ cultural experiences within
the context of schools. Given that NIES also includes achievement on the National
Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), it has the potential to inform
and guide policy directed specifically toward AIAN students. To examine ways
NIES might potentially inform policy, the present study examined the degree
to which AIAN student experiences as reflected in NIES are associated with
achievement on NAEP. We then examined NIES against a CRS framework and
found that NIES could inform policy to the detriment of AIAN students.
role of culturally responsive schooling (CRS) on American Indian and Alaska
Native (AIAN) achievement. The National Indian Education Study (NIES) is
the only large-scale study focused on (AIAN) students’ cultural experiences within
the context of schools. Given that NIES also includes achievement on the National
Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), it has the potential to inform
and guide policy directed specifically toward AIAN students. To examine ways
NIES might potentially inform policy, the present study examined the degree
to which AIAN student experiences as reflected in NIES are associated with
achievement on NAEP. We then examined NIES against a CRS framework and
found that NIES could inform policy to the detriment of AIAN students.
Research Interests:
In this study we examine how school leaders in urban districts have responded to the Chilean universal school voucher system. We conducted interviews with public district school officials and principals in Santiago, Chile. We found that... more
In this study we examine how school leaders in urban districts have responded to the Chilean universal school voucher system. We conducted interviews with public district school officials and principals in Santiago, Chile. We found that school leaders in the wealthy public schools have confronted the market policy by implementing similar cream-skimming measures as private-voucher schools. In comparison, the poorer public-municipal schools are not able to select their students. The respondents in our study elucidated that parent and student choice is limited because specific family and student characteristics (i.e. SES background, test scores), as well as the family/student residence within the city (in a relatively wealthy or poor section of the city) influence the spectrum of opportunities a student will have and the school he/she will enter. As a result, the voucher system introduces educational opportunities for students who have the capital (pecuniary and non-pecuniary) to enable a move from one public school to another within an area, from a public school to private-voucher school within an area, from one district to another, or from a public school within an area to a private school within another district.
Research Interests: Education, Social Policy, Educational Leadership, Teacher Education, Educational Administration, and 27 moreInternational Law, Educational Research, Political Science, Education (Social Policy), Politics, History of Chile, Education Policy, Public Choice, Chile, Politics Of Education, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Chilean Politics, Public Policy Analysis, Educational Administration and Leadership, School Choice, Educational Policy Studies, South America, Vouchers, Educational admnistration, Historia de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Politics of Education and Social Policy, Educational Administration and Supervision, Public Administration and Policy, Administration of Educational Organisations, Educational Administration and Management, and Public Policy(International Law, Educational Research, Political Science, Education (Social Policy), Politics, History of Chile, Education Policy, Public Choice, Chile, Politics Of Education, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Chilean Politics, Public Policy Analysis, Educational Administration and Leadership, School Choice, Educational Policy Studies, South America, Vouchers, Educational admnistration, Historia de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Politics of Education and Social Policy, Educational Administration and Supervision, Public Administration and Policy, Administration of Educational Organisations, Educational Administration and Management, and Public Policy)
(International Law, Educational Research, Political Science, Education (Social Policy), Politics, History of Chile, Education Policy, Public Choice, Chile, Politics Of Education, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Chilean Politics, Public Policy Analysis, Educational Administration and Leadership, School Choice, Educational Policy Studies, South America, Vouchers, Educational admnistration, Historia de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Politics of Education and Social Policy, Educational Administration and Supervision, Public Administration and Policy, Administration of Educational Organisations, Educational Administration and Management, and Public Policy)
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Williams()
()
In this chapter, we examine a unique peer run youth court at an urban middle school to contextualize social justice in action. The youth court was developed through a collaborative partnership with the local university’s law school and... more
In this chapter, we examine a unique peer run youth court at an urban middle school to contextualize social justice in action. The youth court was developed through a collaborative partnership with the local university’s law school and the administrators and teachers of a high poverty, high minority inner city middle school in Texas. Social justice leaders from both institutions identified a troubling trend: students from the middle school were being increasingly tracked into the juvenile justice system. Relying on the theoretical principles of social justice leadership, the case study explores the principal and school leaders’ implementation of the youth court and their decisions and challenges over three years of the program’s operation. In addition, we delves into the design of the program’s core curriculum based on a restorative justice model that is built upon the foundations of social justice: inclusion and respect. With the backdrop of punitive disciplinary policies, we highlight the courage and commitment of school leaders to go against the grain and fashion an alternative disciplinary program that is significantly changing the trajectories of at-risk youth.
Cole, H., Vasquez Heilig, J., Fernandez, T., Clifford, M., & Garcia, R. (2015). Social Justice in action: Urban school leaders address the school to prison pipeline via a youth court. In M. Khalifa, C. Grant, N.W. Arnold and A. Osanloo (Eds.), Handbook of Urban Educational Leadership. (pp. 320-328) New York: Rowman and Littlefield.
Cole, H., Vasquez Heilig, J., Fernandez, T., Clifford, M., & Garcia, R. (2015). Social Justice in action: Urban school leaders address the school to prison pipeline via a youth court. In M. Khalifa, C. Grant, N.W. Arnold and A. Osanloo (Eds.), Handbook of Urban Educational Leadership. (pp. 320-328) New York: Rowman and Littlefield.
Research Interests: Black Studies Or African American Studies, Latino/A Studies, Law, Education, Educational Leadership, and 15 moreTeacher Education, Educational Administration, Higher Education, Educational Research, African Diaspora Studies, Education (Social Policy), Urban Education, Politics, Urban Studies, Education Policy, African American Studies, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Educational Policy Studies, Latinoamerica, and School Discipline(Teacher Education, Educational Administration, Higher Education, Educational Research, African Diaspora Studies, Education (Social Policy), Urban Education, Politics, Urban Studies, Education Policy, African American Studies, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Educational Policy Studies, Latinoamerica, and School Discipline)
(Teacher Education, Educational Administration, Higher Education, Educational Research, African Diaspora Studies, Education (Social Policy), Urban Education, Politics, Urban Studies, Education Policy, African American Studies, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Educational Policy Studies, Latinoamerica, and School Discipline)
Over the last two decades, our nation has seen an array of reform initiatives that support lofty goals for student achievement. An underexplored issue in the literature is how this school reform set against the backdrop of high-stakes... more
Over the last two decades, our nation has seen an array of reform initiatives that support lofty goals for student achievement. An underexplored issue in the literature is how this school reform set against the backdrop of high-stakes testing has impacted the students it is designed to assist. Now armed with years of student data, critics of accountability reform have argued that high stakes testing has done little to improve the educational outcomes of persistently low achieving students—urban poor, minority and students with disabilities. The statistics show a bleak picture. But, the numbers only tell half the story. This qualitative case study uses narrative analysis to detail the stories of 12 special education students in an urban Texas high school who experienced first hand the effects and fallout of accountability reform. The authors had the unique opportunity to interview two sets of students, one in 1995 when high stakes testing was first introduced and one in 2012 after two decades of implementation. Chronicling the voices of special education students at the same school over a 15 year period reveals that schooling experiences of these students have neither fundamentally changed nor improved despite numerous reform efforts. The paper provides a critical context for accountability reform juxtaposed with the students’ personal experiences of testing and accountability reform. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of the importance of including student voice, particularly marginalized student voice, in ongoing reform efforts.
Research Interests: Education, Teacher Education, Qualitative methodology, Educational Research, Education (Social Policy), and 7 moreEducation Policy, Qualitative Research, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Educational reform, Critical sociology and politics of education, Education Politics and Planning, and School turnaround
The top-down nature of school reform in urban communities has prompted educators, students, parents, and citizens alike to question the ways in which we hold public schools accountable for student learning and performance. Education... more
The top-down nature of school reform in urban communities has prompted educators, students, parents, and citizens alike to question the ways in which we hold public schools accountable for student learning and performance. Education research representing a wide range of disciplinary perspectives including history, sociology, political science, and public policy and interdis- ciplinary fields, such as leadership studies and program evaluation, has con- tributed greatly to our understanding of the role of schools, neighborhoods, and communities in urban education reform. Although research and policy discourses analyzing and comparing the effectiveness and drawbacks of reform, whether top-down or grassroots, are far from new, the knowledge base concerning how such efforts should take place, by whom, and the degree to which they are sustainable remain underdeveloped.
Research Interests:
Top-down accountability policies have arguably had very limited impact over the past 20 years. Education stakeholders are now contemplating new forms of bottom-up accountability. In 2013, policymakers in California enacted a... more
Top-down accountability policies have arguably had very limited impact over the past 20 years. Education stakeholders are now contemplating new forms of bottom-up accountability. In 2013, policymakers in California enacted a community-based approach that creates the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) process for school finance to increase flexibility. The reform also seeks to involve stakeholders at the local level by creating a Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP). We conducted a statutory analysis of the state’s new funding formula in comparison to its predecessor. We also analyze the state’s new system of district implementation, support, and intervention. We then discuss the implications of California’s reforms for future K-12 funding and accountability policy.
Research Interests:
This Article explores the early development of a school-based Youth Court in an urban area in Texas. Forged through a partnership between the local school district and a large public university law school, this collaborative and novel... more
This Article explores the early development of a school-based Youth Court in an urban area in Texas. Forged through a partnership between the local school district and a large public university law school, this collaborative and novel approach to student discipline is unique. The observations are basal, as the Youth Court is still not fully operationalized.
However, an analysis of the implementation process offers insight into the tensions that exist when two institutional systems—legal and educational—begin to co-exist.
However, an analysis of the implementation process offers insight into the tensions that exist when two institutional systems—legal and educational—begin to co-exist.
Research Interests:
Considering the continuing challenge of the underrepresentation of Blacks at selective postsecondary institutions in the United States and a shift away from thinking of racial grouping for pursuing claims against the state, a historical... more
Considering the continuing challenge of the underrepresentation of Blacks at selective postsecondary institutions in the United States and a shift away from thinking of racial grouping for pursuing claims against the state, a historical analysis aligned with contemporary data to contextualize key events and policies is important to illuminate the continuing struggle for equity in admissions for Blacks. As a result, this article seeks to address the following questions: Has the underrepresentation of Blacks in selective higher education in Texas improved relative to their statewide population since the civil rights era? Have Black applications and enrollment increased in selective higher education in the midst of the TTPP? Have TTPP Black students chosen to enroll in selective institutions of higher education? Are there differences in TTPP Black persistence and graduation by institutional selectivity?
Research Interests:
A mainstay in NCLB and the Obama administration education plan is turning around low-performing schools. This study utilized surveys and interviews with school leaders from four turnaround urban high schools in Texas to understand student... more
A mainstay in NCLB and the Obama administration education plan is turning around low-performing schools. This study utilized surveys and interviews with school leaders from four turnaround urban high schools in Texas to understand student outcomes before and after school restructuring and reconstitution. Although some organizational changes were apparent; overall, respondents cited rapidly changing technical strategies and haphazard adjustments from external sources as a great challenge. Reconstitution also magnified challenges that existed before and after restructuring efforts. Most importantly, the evidence suggests that school reconstitution did not immediately improve student achievement, impact grade retention and decrease student dropout in the study schools.
Research Interests:
No Child Left Behind’s mandated high-stakes testing and accountability policies have pervaded districts and schools nationwide. To examine student progress and graduation in the midst of first generation Texas-style accountability, this... more
No Child Left Behind’s mandated high-stakes testing and accountability policies have pervaded districts and schools nationwide. To examine student progress and graduation in the midst of first generation Texas-style accountability, this study tracked individuals in a longitudinal dataset of over 45,000 high school students in the Houston Independent School District (HISD). Using descriptive cohort and inferential competing risk analyses, the study found evidence that student leavers were severely under-reported and graduation rates exaggerated. The majority of high school students in Houston actually failed to advance to graduation, and minority, LEP and economically disadvantaged students were disproportionately affected. An important question for the field, and the impending reauthorization of NCLB, is whether accountability policies are as good as advertised for urban schools.
Research Interests:
Purpose - The prevailing theory of action underlying accountability is that holding schools and students accountable will increase educational output. While accountability’s theory of action intuitively seemed plausible, at the point of... more
Purpose - The prevailing theory of action underlying accountability is that holding schools and students accountable will increase educational output. While accountability’s theory of action intuitively seemed plausible, at the point of No Child Left Behind's national implementation, little empirical research was available to either support or critique accountability claims or to predict the long term impact of accountability systems on the success of at-risk students and the schools that served them.
Design/methodology/approach - Interviews with 89 administrators, staff and teachers revealed a variety of methods utilized to manage risks associated with low test scores and accountability ratings.
Findings - The findings reported in this paper challenge the proposition that accountability improves the educational outcomes of atrisk students and indicates that low-performing Texas high schools, when faced with the press of accountability, tend to mirror corporate risk management processes with unintended consequences for at-risk students. Low-scoring at-risk students were often viewed as liabilities by school personnel who, in their scramble to meet testing thresholds and accountability goals, were at-risk student averse— implementing practices designed to “force kids out of school.”
Originality/value - In this article, we use theory and research on risk management to analyze the work and perceptions of school teachers and leaders as they seek to meet the requirements of educational accountability. This paper is among the first to use this
particular perspective to conceptualize and understand the practices of educational organizations with regards to the treatment of atrisk students attending low-performing high schools in the midst of accountability.
Design/methodology/approach - Interviews with 89 administrators, staff and teachers revealed a variety of methods utilized to manage risks associated with low test scores and accountability ratings.
Findings - The findings reported in this paper challenge the proposition that accountability improves the educational outcomes of atrisk students and indicates that low-performing Texas high schools, when faced with the press of accountability, tend to mirror corporate risk management processes with unintended consequences for at-risk students. Low-scoring at-risk students were often viewed as liabilities by school personnel who, in their scramble to meet testing thresholds and accountability goals, were at-risk student averse— implementing practices designed to “force kids out of school.”
Originality/value - In this article, we use theory and research on risk management to analyze the work and perceptions of school teachers and leaders as they seek to meet the requirements of educational accountability. This paper is among the first to use this
particular perspective to conceptualize and understand the practices of educational organizations with regards to the treatment of atrisk students attending low-performing high schools in the midst of accountability.
Research Interests:
This study addresses the segregation of English language learner (ELL) students in schools across Texas. We descriptively analyze levels of racial, economic, and linguistic isolation experienced by ELL students across the state of Texas.... more
This study addresses the segregation of English language learner (ELL) students in schools across Texas. We descriptively analyze levels of racial, economic, and linguistic isolation experienced by ELL students across the state of Texas. We also examine the association between segregation by race/ethnicity, economic disadvantage, and language proficiency with high-stakes accountability ratings. Despite nearly two decades of accountability policies that have promised equality, our statistical analyses show that a majority of ELL students in Texas still attend high-poverty and high-minority schools, and we find that segregation by socioeconomic status (SES) and race and ethnicity is highly significant for predicting whether schools will be low performing relative to high performing.
Research Interests:
This paper demonstrates that school choice is a civil rights issue, but not as currently framed. First, school choice, on average, does not produce the equity and social justice that proponents spin. Second, school choice has created a... more
This paper demonstrates that school choice is a civil rights issue, but not as currently framed. First, school choice, on average, does not produce the equity and social justice that proponents spin. Second, school choice has created a motely alliance between privatizers and traditional civil rights proponents that is not in the best interest of poor and minority students. Moving our schools from the public sector to the private sector is a false choice. Instead, as the research concisely demonstrates, parents and students should be able to choose a neighborhood public school with the important characteristics that are already established in the research literature and consistently observed in wealthy high-performing public and private schools. Access to those choices in democratically-controlled neighborhood public schools is the civil rights issue of our time— large-scale privatization of education is not.
Research Interests:
Teach For America (TFA) receives hundreds of millions of public and private dollars and has garnered acclaim for sending college graduates, who do not typically have an education background, to teach in low-income rural and urban schools... more
Teach For America (TFA) receives hundreds of millions of public and private dollars and has garnered acclaim for sending college graduates, who do not typically have an education background, to teach in low-income rural and urban schools for a two-year commitment. The number of TFA corps members has grown by about 2,000% since its inception in 1990. The impact of these transitory teachers is hotly debated. Admirers see the program as a way to grow the supply of “outstanding” graduates, albeit temporarily, as teachers. Critics, however, see the program as a diversion from truly beneficial policies or even as a harmful dalliance into the lives of low-income students who most need a highly trained, highly skilled, and stable teacher workforce.
Despite a series of non-peer-reviewed studies funded by TFA and other organizations that purport to show benefits of TFA teachers, peer-reviewed research on their impact continues to produce a mixed picture. The peer-reviewed research suggests that results are affected by the experience and certification level of the TFA teachers as well as by the group of teachers with whom those TFA teachers are compared. The question’s specifics strongly determine the answer.
The authors recommend a shift in focus for TFA from a program of mixed impact to one that makes measureable changes in the quality of education in America. Recommendations for policymakers and districts are provided.
Despite a series of non-peer-reviewed studies funded by TFA and other organizations that purport to show benefits of TFA teachers, peer-reviewed research on their impact continues to produce a mixed picture. The peer-reviewed research suggests that results are affected by the experience and certification level of the TFA teachers as well as by the group of teachers with whom those TFA teachers are compared. The question’s specifics strongly determine the answer.
The authors recommend a shift in focus for TFA from a program of mixed impact to one that makes measureable changes in the quality of education in America. Recommendations for policymakers and districts are provided.
Research Interests:
In this paper we first outline the early 20th century critiques and challenges to school curriculum from the perspective of African American scholars living within a segregated schooling context-what we call the era of "segregated... more
In this paper we first outline the early 20th century critiques and challenges to school curriculum from the perspective of African American scholars living within a segregated schooling context-what we call the era of "segregated knowledge/' Then we draw the readers' attention to the post-Brown era that sought to make sense of curric.ulum within the efforts of integration-what we call the era of "multicultural and integrated knowledge." We follow with a discussion about curriculum revisions and the neoliberal and neoconservative assault on Black curriculum i,;clusions in the 1990s and in the present. We conclude with an extensive discussion about the intersection of a narrowed curriculum with high-stakes testing and NCLB-inspired policies around teacher quality.
Research Interests:
In this chapter, the authors consider the controversy surrounding Teach For America and their alliance with Black and Latinx fraternities and sororities, and conclude with suggestions for community service and best practices for these... more
In this chapter, the authors consider the controversy surrounding
Teach For America and their alliance with Black and Latinx
fraternities and sororities, and conclude with suggestions for
community service and best practices for these organizations.
Teach For America and their alliance with Black and Latinx
fraternities and sororities, and conclude with suggestions for
community service and best practices for these organizations.
Research Interests: Sociology, Education, Sociology of Education, Educational Leadership, Teacher Education, and 14 moreCritical Race Studies, Higher Education, Educational Research, Education (Social Policy), Critical Race Theory, Education Policy, Critical Race Theory and Whiteness theory, Learning And Teaching In Higher Education, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Higher Education Management, Student Affairs, Critical Race and Whiteness Studies, Student Services, and Teach for America(Critical Race Studies, Higher Education, Educational Research, Education (Social Policy), Critical Race Theory, Education Policy, Critical Race Theory and Whiteness theory, Learning And Teaching In Higher Education, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Higher Education Management, Student Affairs, Critical Race and Whiteness Studies, Student Services, and Teach for America)
(Critical Race Studies, Higher Education, Educational Research, Education (Social Policy), Critical Race Theory, Education Policy, Critical Race Theory and Whiteness theory, Learning And Teaching In Higher Education, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Higher Education Management, Student Affairs, Critical Race and Whiteness Studies, Student Services, and Teach for America)
In this chapter, we focus on teacher quality in five Southern states that have experienced some of the largest growth of EL students within the public school system (Payan & Nettles 2006). We conducted this mixed method research in the... more
In this chapter, we focus on teacher quality in five Southern states that have experienced some of the largest growth of EL students within the public school system (Payan & Nettles 2006). We conducted this mixed method research in the wake of the controversial anti-immigrant laws that were passed Alabama, South Carolina and Tennessee. and proposed in Arkansas and Kentucky. This anti-immigrant legislation has erupted in response to the dramatic growth of the Latina/o population in those states (Flores & Chapa, 2010). In the midst of the demographic and political contexts for ELs in these states, we seek to answer the following research question: How has the educational policy context changed in response to the changing demographics within EL growth states?
Research Interests: Education, Teacher Education, Education and Public Policy, Education (Social Policy), Education Policy, and 11 moreEducational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Education Policy Studies, English Language Learning, English Language Learners, Education and Social Policy, Cultural and Educational Policy Studies, Educational Policy Studies, Politics of Education and Social Policy, US Education Policy, Educational Policy, and Latinx Studies(Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Education Policy Studies, English Language Learning, English Language Learners, Education and Social Policy, Cultural and Educational Policy Studies, Educational Policy Studies, Politics of Education and Social Policy, US Education Policy, Educational Policy, and Latinx Studies)
(Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Education Policy Studies, English Language Learning, English Language Learners, Education and Social Policy, Cultural and Educational Policy Studies, Educational Policy Studies, Politics of Education and Social Policy, US Education Policy, Educational Policy, and Latinx Studies)
In this chapter, we focus on teacher quality in five Southern states that have experienced some of the largest growth of EL students within the public school system (Payan & Nettles 2006). We conducted this mixed method research in the... more
In this chapter, we focus on teacher quality in five Southern states that have experienced some of the largest growth of EL students within the public school system (Payan & Nettles 2006). We conducted this mixed method research in the wake of the controversial anti-immigrant laws that were passed Alabama, South Carolina and Tennessee. and proposed in Arkansas and Kentucky. This anti-immigrant legislation has erupted in response to the dramatic growth of the Latina/o population in those states (Flores & Chapa, 2010). In the midst of the demographic and political contexts for ELs in these states, we seek to answer the following research question: How has the educational policy context changed in response to the changing demographics within EL growth states?
Research Interests: Education, Educational Leadership, Spanish, Teacher Education, Education (Social Policy), and 11 moreEducation Policy, Politics Of Education, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Education Policy Studies, English Language Learning, English Language Learners, Education and Social Policy, Educational Policy Studies, Educational Leadership and Management, Education Politics and Planning, and Educational Policy(Education Policy, Politics Of Education, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Education Policy Studies, English Language Learning, English Language Learners, Education and Social Policy, Educational Policy Studies, Educational Leadership and Management, Education Politics and Planning, and Educational Policy)
(Education Policy, Politics Of Education, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Education Policy Studies, English Language Learning, English Language Learners, Education and Social Policy, Educational Policy Studies, Educational Leadership and Management, Education Politics and Planning, and Educational Policy)
Although research and policy discourses analyzing and comparing the effectiveness and drawbacks of the various reforms in this chapter, whether top-down or grassroots, are far from new, the knowledge base concerning how such efforts... more
Although research and policy discourses analyzing and comparing the effectiveness and drawbacks of the various reforms in this chapter, whether top-down or grassroots, are far from new, the knowledge base concerning how such efforts should take place, by whom, and the degree to which they are sustainable remain underdeveloped. Hence, in light of a detailed review of the emergence and limitation of top-down reforms in education, the purpose of this chapter is to first discuss the reframing of neoliberal discriminatory policies as “Civil Rights.” We will then articulate “what instead?” ought to serve as better approaches to reform. In doing so, we identify and provide a conceptual understanding of bottom-up reforms that are emerging in the field and offer examples of community-based education reforms with the best potential to shift political capital, institutional control, and goals for teaching and learning back to communities.