This article describes experiences of a literary coach working with a first-grade teacher to make Pro-Black culturally relevant pedagogy foundational to the coaching relationship. Responding to the failure of mandated programs to support Black students' literacy proficiency and the success of culturally relevant pedagogies, they addressed the…

This article draws on qualitative data from a Two-Way Immersion Spanish environment classroom to explore how African American students lived experiences, language, and cultural practices are regulated and/or constrained. Drawing on the theoretical framework of Bahktin's heteroglossia and raciolinguistics, the authors present two distinct…

This paper presents the results from a randomized controlled trial of Chapter One, an early elementary reading tutoring program that embeds part-time tutors into the classroom to provide short bursts of 1:1 instruction. Eligible kindergarten students were randomly assigned to receive supplementary tutoring during the 2021-22 school year (N=818).…

Proficiency in reading is an essential skill for achieving success in the modern era, and African American students have struggled with reading due to insufficient support during literacy instruction. Through the implementation of the Science of Reading™ course, this research aimed to examine the effect of the Language Essentials for Teachers of…

With a focus on Parker, a Black second-grader, this paper explores how photographs taken "by" children reveal aspects of identity that adults do not always capture or deem important in school spaces. In fact, while Parker was often imaged and positioned in deficit ways, children's photographs expanded static narratives told about Parker.…

This study sought to explore the extent to which and how principals can help decrease the use of out-of-school suspension and close the racial discipline gap. This study comprised a qualitative case study of a principal in an urban school district. Data derive from in-depth interviews with current and former campus and district leaders, historical…

At least 16 states have limited exclusionary discipline for elementary age students, but little is known about the effects of these policies on discipline rates and disproportionality. This paper tests whether a limit on exclusionary discipline in grades K-5 in Arkansas impacted the likelihood of suspension and expulsion overall, for different…

In this dissertation, I will interrogate existing and explore new possibilities for healing in a school governed by anti-Blackness. "Self-care," "social emotional learning" (SEL), "trauma-informed care," "restorative practices," and "mindfulness" are frequently used terms in the recent discourse…

In the United States, Muhammad (2020) explains how Black students who attend schools have a greater potential for success when they see themselves represented in the curriculum and when their cultural, gender, and racial identities are affirmed. This dissertation study examined the ways in which third grade Black girls and boys (n=8) see…

High teacher turnover rates and less students entering into the teacher preparation programs has increased the need to better prepare and retain beginning teachers. The purpose of this mixed methods inquiry is to focus on the effect of Culturally Responsive Teaching professional development on beginning teacher self-efficacy relative to African…

This article examined how elementary educators understood the experiences of Black students during remote learning and subsequently demonstrated empathy for Black students during the 2020-2021 academic year. While there is ample literature on the benefits of empathy on student outcomes, much of this research falls short in capturing the utility…

A simple parent request unveiled a startling revelation: The principal of Bridgforth Elementary School segregated students by race. Her attempt to establish a culturally responsive framework was met with an Office of Civil Rights (OCR) complaint of racial discrimination. This case will examine the principal's rationale for creating the framework,…

What started as a social media based movement, the viral hashtag #blackgirlmagic has transcended into a way of being, and seeing Black girls and women. The essence and prevalence of #blackgirlmagic continues to defy all odds and perceptions in sports, society, and other social spaces where Black girls have been rendered invisible, including in the…

Due to the paucity of research that focuses on the digital and STEAM literacy practices of Black students and youth and their families in home and community spaces, this article acts as a call for awareness to understand the already-existing digital practices that acknowledges and honors their racial, cultural, and social lives. Lewis Ellison…

Limited research exists on African American students in Spanish-English dual language programs and parent perspectives. This research study allowed the voices of 10 African American parents who have students currently enrolled in an elementary Spanish-English dual language program in a school district located in Southeast Texas to be heard. The…