There is growing concern about the pervasive underrepresentation of qualified Black women superintendents, despite women significantly outnumbering men in public education. This study sought to shed light on the lived experiences of Black women superintendents in North Carolina. The purpose of this basic interpretive qualitative study was to gain…

Although many students exhibit interest and demonstrate academic preparedness in math and science, a significant proportion of students do not major in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. These students encounter systemic barriers to STEM opportunities related to their intersecting gender and racial/ethnic identities.…

Education policy reform is often created and implemented in ways that advantage White individuals. This is even more salient when examining the intersection of race and gender identities. Using North Carolina's teacher evaluation system as a policy reform case, I examine whether there are differential observation ratings between Black and White…

This qualitative study explored how LGBTQ+ ally teachers understand their ally identity in the context of teaching high school social studies. Specifically, it examined how teachers enacted their ally identity in the informal and informal curriculum through the production of classroom spaces, classroom relationships, queer representation in the…

This study explores how high school computer science (CS) course enrollment differs by student background through an intersectional lens. I use statewide data from North Carolina that contains longitudinal student-level background and course-taking information from 2005-2006 to the 2018-2019 school year and estimate linear probability models…

The purpose of my study is to explore the lived experiences, challenges, and opportunities of African American male school leaders leading in rural schools in North Carolina. My study looks at the intersection of identity in which a school leader in a rural community is an African American male. African American males face numerous barriers in…

Principal turnover is a national problem with costly side effects. There is a growing interest in this problem of practice. Although more studies are emerging, there is limited qualitative research into understanding why principals are leaving their positions. This is a basic qualitative study examining the experiences of three former North…