The purpose of this paper on U.S. federal higher education policy is to discuss how market-based federal higher education funding policies over the last five decades has led to consequences that have been detrimental to student access at American public colleges and universities. Evidence shows increasing inequality in higher education…

Women are strongly over-represented among primary and secondary teachers. This can be explained at least partly by gender stereotypes, but also by the attractiveness of the profession to working mothers and by differences in the relative wage levels in teaching for men and women. Recognising teachers' contribution to society could help to attract…

The underrepresentation of Black women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is a long-standing issue. According to the National Science Foundation (2019), Black women hold less than 10% of STEM degrees, while only 2% work in STEM fields. These disparities can be attributed to structural inequities related to the STEM…

Motivated by the underrepresentation of women in math-related majors and occupations, the present dissertation explored the possibility that disparities in frequency of classroom participation--a measure of engagement prone to gender differences--could be partially responsible for gender differences in belonging and identity in math contexts. Via…

This dissertation addressed the problem of low graduation rates among African American (AA) males, a minority population characterized by the lowest graduation rates of any racial group in the United States. Specifically, the research questions asked how the independent variables of social and academic integration, childhood trauma, and…

Beyond the commonplace inequalities that many minoritized youth face in the United States, the post-Trump contemporary moment has created rampant racialized material and symbolic violence occurring against Latinx, immigrant and undocumented immigrant, Asian American, and African American populations. "Race Frames in Education" advances…

When postsecondary education is accessible and pathways to earning a credential are available to all, the economic and personal benefits afforded to both individuals and society are substantial. Improving access and completion using strategies that attempt to support all students--regardless of demographic background--may yield important progress.…

Since 2014, varsity collegiate esports have rapidly grown on college campuses across the country. Colleges use varsity esports to increase enrollments, but little is known about which student identities are represented in varsity collegiate esports. Further, there is a dearth of literature that explores the social experiences varsity esport…

This qualitative study investigated the experiences and the impact of the racial discipline gap on upper elementary Black students. It also examined their insights and suggestions on how to mitigate this systemic inequity that results in the overrepresentation of Black students in exclusionary discipline beginning in early childhood education and…

Advanced Placement for All (AP for All) is a high school reform movement designed to address systemic inequities in student access to advanced coursework. However, the evidence of the impact of the AP Program for traditionally underrepresented students is mixed. One way to view AP for All is as one of many examples of promising initiatives which,…

This qualitative phenomenological study explored elementary school principals in the northeastern United States perceptions of the influence of systems, structures and practices that incorporate student voice in the decision-making school governance structure, emphasizing Black and Latino students. Additionally, the study focused on understanding…

The teaching force in the Post-Desegregation School District (PDS) is overwhelmingly White and female, despite its Black American majority student population. Black American female PreK-12 teachers are disproportionately underrepresented in the school district. Their underrepresentation is problematic because Black American students tend to have…

Exclusionary discipline in schools has disproportionately impacted Black students for decades. In 1975, just 21 years after the federally mandated desegregation of schools, the disparities in school discipline were documented as a nationwide problem. In the report of 2,862 school districts, Black students were being suspended at two to three times…

The misrepresentation of certain student groups in special education is a multifaceted issue reflecting broader educational inequities. This article explores the complex dynamics of disproportionality, focusing on differences by race group and disability category in identification and placement for special education services. It examines the…

Students from low-socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds are underrepresented in Advanced Placement (AP) courses. This underrepresentation in the AP program denies students of the documented benefits experienced by enrolling in rigorous courses, such as AP, while in high school. This phenomenological qualitative study examined the perception of…