Equity as Synergistic Reform: Preparing Equitable School Districts in an Era of COVID-19, Racial Reckoning, and Political Polarization
Restricted (Penn State Only)
Author:
Dulaney, Katie
Graduate Program:
Educational Theory and Policy
Degree:
Doctor of Philosophy
Document Type:
Dissertation
Date of Defense:
February 24, 2023
Committee Members:
Dana Mitra, Major Field Member Erica Frankenberg, Outside Field Member David Gamson, Chair & Dissertation Advisor Kai Schafft, Outside Field Member Rebecca Tarlau, Outside Unit Member
Keywords:
public school districts equity policies district reform equity reforms
Abstract:
This dissertation examines how districts who have passed equity policies or resolutions nurture and instill their publicly expressed commitments to equity. Using in-depth interviews with various leaders across six districts in Pennsylvania, I offer a theoretical framework for making sense of how districts can pursue equity in the midst of differing political contexts and available resources. I specifically argue that a series of reform efforts (e.g., investing in the capacity-building of district staff, creating new district positions and teams to help prioritize equity, embedding new processes and structures to help monitor equity progress, and developing a committed and consistent leadership team) that focus on shifting individual and systemic actions can work in concert to dismantle systemic biases in schools. Throughout my study, I consider the supportive role external actors, including colleges and universities, can play in supporting districts in equity reform. My study contributes to the relatively sparse literature examining the implementation of equity policies in districts today, as well as the ways in which districts can and do collaborate with one another to prioritize equity in today’s partisan political climate.
