The 2025 AERA Annual Meeting will be in Denver from April 23 – 27

The UCR School of Education will be well represented  at this year’s American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting, including the introduction of SOE Professor Tara J. Yosso as a 2025 Fellow. The AERA Fellows Program honors scholars for their exceptional contributions to, and excellence in, education research.

Below is a complete list of presentations, papers, and events at this year’s conference.

Also, the University of California will host a UC Reception on Thursday, April 24, 7–9pm at the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center (Third Floor, Centennial Ballroom A). The reception is open to all UC attendees.

Wednesday, April 23

Roundtable Session: Design-Based Research and Transformative Practices: Cultivating Teacher Educator Agency and Professional Growth

 Wed, April 23, 12:40 to 2:10pm MDT (1:40 to 3:10pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Ballroom Level, Four Seasons Ballroom 1 

• Paper: Exploring Critical and Transformative Teacher Educator Agency: Competing Contexts
• Abstract: Despite the prevalence of justice-oriented teacher preparation, there is a gap between teacher educators’ espoused beliefs, practices, and the broader contexts that impact their work. Through the lens of critical and transformative teacher educator agency, we explore the interplay among justice-oriented teacher educators’ agentic capacities and contexts that support or hinder their practices. In this qualitative study, we analyze focus groups/interview data from 35 teacher educators in six U.S. states. Findings suggest that the relationships between contexts and described practices are complex; there is not a linear path between teacher educators who described more supportive state contexts, commitments, and their practices. This study sheds light on how teacher educators navigate multiple competing contexts to achieve professional agency.
• Authors:
  Emilie Mitescu Reagan, Claremont Graduate University
  A. Lin Goodwin, Boston College
  Elyse Hambacher, University of Florida
  Andrew Pau Hoang, Hong Kong University
  Mayeen Quader, University of California - Riverside
  Rachel Roegman, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaigne
  Jalea Turner, University of Florida
  Laura Vernikoff, Touro University
  Geying Zhang, Boston College

Roundtable Session: Studies of Instructional Practices in Mathematics

 Wed, April 23, 12:40 to 2:10pm MDT (1:40 to 3:10pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Ballroom Level, Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3  

• Paper: Designing Classroom Observation Measures to Support Teacher Learning and Instructional Practice in Mathematics
• Abstract: Tremendous amounts of time and energy are spent observing mathematics classrooms. This study addressed two challenges for the field: producing observation data that: (1) will better support teachers in the learning about their students and their own instruction, and promote teacher thinking about potential changes, and (2) is significantly linked to student learning outcomes. This paper describes the design of a real-time mathematics classroom observation measure that provides detailed information about student participation that can support teacher learning and improvement of practice, and reports on the implementation of the measure in 26 classrooms in seven elementary schools. We show the potential for this measurement approach to support teacher learning about interaction in their classrooms and to inform their instructional decision-making. 
• Authors:
  Megan L. Franke, University of California - Los Angeles
  Nicholas C. Johnson, San Diego State University
  Noreen M. Webb, University of California - Los Angeles
  Marsha M. Ing, University of California - Riverside
  Janene Ward, University of California - Los Angeles
  Adejah Taylor, University of California - Los Angeles

Paper Session: Current Issues in Teachers' Lives and Teacher Education

 Wed, April 23, 2:30 to 4:00pm MDT (3:30 to 5:00pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Terrace Level, Bluebird Ballroom Room 2F 

• Paper: Silences, Silencing, and Silenced: Teacher Educators of Color Contend with Technologies of Silence in Teacher Education
• Abstract: In this study, four teacher educators of Color seek to decenter whiteness in teacher education by deeply analyzing how silence functions as a racialized mechanism of violence. In our theorizing of silence, we apply what we name as technologies of silence - silences, silencing, and silenced - to examine how silence inflicts violence upon teacher educators of Color. Utilizing Collective Memory Work, we have met over two years to discuss and write counternarratives grounded in Critical Race Theory as a method to critically analyze our individual and collective onto-epistemologies. We focus on the harms we experience through technologies of silence. Ultimately, we name the ways silence damages, but also acts as resistance when teacher educators of Color center healing, support, and transformation.
• Authors: Sharon Leathers, Ramapo College
  Ramon Vasquez, University of Minnesota
  Amos Joon Lee, University of California - Riverside
  Ranita Cheruvu, University of North Texas 

Roundtable Session: Fostering Classroom Inclusivity With Trending Pedagogical Practices

 Wed, April 23, 2:30 to 4:00pm MDT (3:30 to 5:00pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Ballroom Level, Four Seasons Ballroom 1

• Paper: From “Reading the Word” to “Reading the World” to “Re/Writing Who We Are”: A Study of the Mediation of Critical Literacies in an Ethnic Studies YPAR Project
• Abstract: While extensive research has documented the positive outcomes of students engaged in action-research, there is little discussion of the mediation of learning that happens in Ethnic Studies YPAR projects. In this qualitative case study of learning within an action-research course (i.e. “Action Research in the Barrio”) serving Chicanx urban high school youth, I build upon research linking close-text analysis to the formation of a critical social consciousness. In particular, I use video ethnography and qualitative interviews as strategies for understanding how Chicanx students engaged in close-text analyses of readings develop generative understandings of their relation to systems of domination, and thus engage in processes of repair and healing.
• Author: Miguel Zavala, University of California - Riverside

Paper Session: Social Studies and Ethnic Studies

 Wed, April 23, 4:20 to 5:50pm MDT (5:20 to 6:50pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Terrace Level, Bluebird Ballroom Room 2G

• Paper: Teacher Education and the Marginalization of Ethnic Studies Teacher Candidates of Color
• Abstract: With the passing of AB 101, every California high school is required to offer a semester of Ethnic Studies (ES) by 2025. Parallel to this, however, are growing movements suppressing racial discourse across the U.S. This paper centers the experiences of nine teacher candidates of Color enrolled in an ES concentration in a teacher education program in a region of Southern California with a vocal opposition to Critical Race Theory. Although they enrolled in a concentration that aligned with their political goals and ideologies, the larger program and cooperating teachers did not share their critical ideologies. We draw attention to the embedded whiteness that prevailed and disrupted their well-being, even in a space designed to disrupt it.
• Authors:
  Rita Kohli, University of California - Riverside
  Corinna D. Ott, University of California - Riverside
  Patriccia Ordoñez-Kim, University of California

Roundtable Session: The Establishment and Innovation of MSIs

 Wed, April 23, 4:20 to 5:50pm MDT (5:20 to 6:50pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Ballroom Level, Four Seasons Ballroom 1  

• Paper: MSIs: A Model of Diversity in Higher Education for All?
• Abstract: Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) could model extending cultural support practices to students from various racial backgrounds. However, there is limited knowledge about how MSI agents transform their campuses to better serve racially minoritized students. This study uses document analysis and a campus racial climate framework to highlight advantages and uncover barriers in resource allocation and equitable experiences at an MSI. The findings help to critique the "one-size-fits-all" academic infrastructure, advocating for more nuanced support structures that address the unique challenges faced by diverse student populations.
• Author: Yi Zhou, University of California - Riverside

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Thursday, April 24

Paper Session: Intersecting Struggles of Desegregation: Navajo Schooling, Black Teacher Activism, and Critical Inquiry

 Thu, April 24, 8:00 to 9:30am MDT (9:00 to 10:30am CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Terrace Level, Bluebird Ballroom Room 2B 

• Paper: Community Cultural Wealth and Socio-Educational Transformations in Lennox, California: A Critical Inquiry into Desegregation Efforts
• Abstract: This qualitative study examines socio-educational transformations in Lennox, California, a densely populated urban area adjacent to LAX, through the lens of the landmark 1981 Frye vs. Centinela Valley Union High School District desegregation case. It employs Community Cultural Wealth (Yosso, 2005) to analyze how the predominantly Latina/o community strategically utilized local cultural assets to navigate and respond to the complexities of desegregation policies. This research draws on diverse sources, including contemporary ethnographies (Gamboa, 2018), detailed court and community testimonies, yearbooks, and archival documents, utilizing interdisciplinary methodologies for recovering marginalized narratives (García & Yosso, 2020). It underscores the community's resilience and adaptive strategies, deepening our understanding of educational equity, highlighting persistent challenges, and elucidating the enduring impacts of desegregation initiatives.
• Author: Edwin Leonidas Rivera Castellanos, University of California - Riverside

Paper Session: Countering Anti-DEI Legislation in Education: Renewed Imaginings of Justice

 Thu, April 24, 9:50 to 11:20am MDT (10:50am to 12:20pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Meeting Room Level, Room 708 

• Paper: “Justice, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder”: Reimagining justice in an anti-DEI era
• Abstract: This article examines the May 23, 2024 University of North Carolina Board of Governors’ repeal of Diversity Equity and Inclusion. We use CRT composite storytelling methodology to explore the policy decision within a broader context of regressive responses to educational equality efforts over time. Through the pedagogical function of composite storytelling, we explore the policy in relation to concepts of whiteness as property (Harris, 1993), and mourning toward possibility (Warren, 2021). The story also illuminates the ways the UNC BOG have enacted a “repressive legalism” (Garces, et al., 2021) reflected across other times in our nation’s past. By juxtaposing the 2024 policy shift with historical records and liberatory insights, our findings provoke discussions envisioning a more just future for education.
• Authors:
  Uma Mazyck Jayakumar, University of California - Riverside
  Rican Vue, University of California - Riverside
  Tara J. Yosso, University of California - Riverside

Structured Poster Session: Innovations in Statistical Power, Intervention Planning and Design, and Causal Effects

 Thu, April 24, 9:50 to 11:20am MDT (10:50am to 12:20pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Terrace Level, Bluebird Ballroom Room 3A 

• Paper: Airbag Moderation: Power Analysis via Simulation plus Empirical Examples in Education
• Abstract: Presented at AERA 2018 and published in 2020, Airbag Moderation is a research hypothesis that helps researchers ask empirically-testable research questions concerning matters of educational equity. It is particularly suited for investigations of the extent to which educational inequities are related to ‘selection effects’ in education (who goes where, gets what, and how much). However, to date there has been no power analysis of the statistical methods available for testing Airbag Moderation, and few empirical examples illustrating how Airbag Moderation can advance our understanding of educational inequity. This paper provides a power analysis (via simulation) of the two most common statistical approaches to Airbag Moderation plus two empirical examples of Airbag Moderation uncovering selection effects linked to educational inequity.
• Authors:
  James Hall, University of Southampton
  Lars-Erik Malmberg, University of Oxford
  Gregory J. Palardy, University of California - Riverside

Poster Session: Innovative Designs and Novel Lines of Inquiry in Formal and Informal Learning Environments

 Thu, April 24, 1:45 to 3:15pm MDT (2:45 to 4:15pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Exhibit Hall Level, Exhibit Hall F 

• Paper: How Can We Empower Students in Higher Education to Self-Motivate During Online and Hybrid Courses? 
• Abstract: Interest in online and hybrid courses is increasing, yet in the wake of COVID-19 many students still struggle with motivation in these environments. Thus, instructors must identify ways of increasing motivation during online and hybrid engagement to improve retention in higher education. Changes to assignments that capitalize on students’ existing behaviors have the power to aid motivation. We examined the impact of taking a social-media-style photo (“studygram”) of one’s workspace on college students’ motivation to complete their work. Taking a studygram significantly increased students’ motivation; importantly, effects were found even when students put little effort into photo-taking. Overall, findings suggest small changes to assignments can influence motivation to learn online, which has powerful implications for repairing students’ distance learning experiences. 
• Authors:
  Catherine Lussier, University of California - Riverside
  Annie Stanfield Ditta, University of California - Riverside
  Annika Speer, University of California - Riverside

Paper Session: Resilience in Exile: Immigrant Students’ Agency and Identity in New Educational Spaces

 Thu, April 24, 3:35 to 5:05pm MDT (4:35 to 6:05pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Terrace Level, Bluebird Ballroom Room 2E 

• Paper: Perceptions of Campus Racial Climate and Resistance Strategies of Asian International Graduate Students at a Minority-Serving Institution
• Abstract: This study synthesizes critical theoretical frameworks to explore Asian international graduate students’ experiences of campus racial climate and resistance strategies in a Minority-serving Institution (MSI) in the U.S. This study also recognizes international students’ agency in order to hold universities accountable for expanding diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Author: Yi Zhou, University of California - Riverside

Roundtable Session: Unpacking Testing, Redefining Justice: Leadership, Equity, and Accountability in the 21st Century

 Thu, April 24, 3:35 to 5:05pm MDT (4:35 to 6:05pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Ballroom Level, Four Seasons Ballroom 4 

• Paper: Black Genius, An Achievement Distortion: A Critique of Standardized Testing and Deficit Framing.
• Abstract: Is the achievement gap real? Using a mixed-methods approach, this study reframed standardized testing through a Quantitative and Black Critical lens. It interrogated the deficit framing of Black student achievement by asking: (1) To what extent do the aggregated state standardized test scores for Black students correlate with other measures of achievement? (2) What beliefs do Black educators have regarding the standardized test scores of Black students? and (3) How do Black educators define Black Genius? Data sources included a quantitative comparison of four achievement variables from 56 school districts, questionnaire responses, and document analysis. From the findings, the study proffers terminology to frame the issue more accurately: Black Genius, Achievement Distortion, and Connection Gap.
• Author: Brenda Burgo, University of California - Riverside

Symposium: Institute for Teachers of Color Committed to Racial Justice: Purposeful Counterspace to Heal and Grow

 Thu, April 24, 5:25 to 6:55pm MDT (6:25 to 7:55pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Meeting Room Level, Room 710 

• Abstract: Amid ongoing violence towards Teachers of Color (TOC) in schools, the Institute of Teachers of Color Committed to Racial Justice (ITOC) serves as a counterspace for TOC to move beyond critical race theory toward critical race leadership praxis. This symposium features TOC (me)searchers sharing self-reflective inquiries into our lived experiences of healing and building commUNITY at ITOC. We aim to engage attendees in critical conversations on freedom dreaming, emphasizing racial literacy/justice and liberatory teaching practices. We invite attendees to join our dialogue circles to (re)envision our education system with these questions:
  1) What motivates us to learn and engage in liberatory teaching practices?
  2) How do we leverage our collective strength to cultivate intentional moments for liberation, healing, and repair?
• Chair: Rita Kohli, University of California - Riverside
• Paper: ITOC a Method to Combat Islamophobia in Education
• Author: Mayeen Quader, University of California - Riverside

Roundtable Session: Race and Language

 Thu, April 24, 5:25 to 6:55pm MDT (6:25 to 7:55pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Ballroom Level, Four Seasons Ballroom 1

• Paper: The Raciolinguistic Embodiment of Black Teachers and What They Offer Black Language Speakers in the Classroom
• Abstract: This ethnographic multi-case study focuses on the ways race and language play a role in how Black teachers hear and leverage Black Language as a resource in the classroom. This work views the lives and pedagogies of Black teachers as deeply interconnected, and excavates the inner-working of how these entities merge. I draw on Teacher Embodiment as Lived Pedagogy, Raciolinguistic Ideologies, and research on Black Language and Black teachers. My data sources are classroom observations, student artifacts, and teacher interviews. Preliminary findings show teachers being able to hear, understand, and teach using Black Language, and how these moments are deeply connected with their raciolinguistic life experiences.
• Author: Alice Y. Lee, University of California - Riverside

Event: University of California Reception–Riverside Social Gathering

  Thu, April 24, 7:00 to 9:00pm MDT (8:00 to 10:00pm CDT), Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Third Floor, Centennial Ballroom A 

Event: UCR SOE Reception– Ice Cream Social

Thu, April 24, after the UC reception at the Hyatt Regency, join your SOE friends and colleagues at Van Leeuwen Ice Cream @ 1459 Larimer St., Denver, CO 80202. It is an 11-minute walk or a quick Uber ride. We'll be there until 11pm!

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Friday, April 25

Roundtable Session: Not So Black and White: Centering and Supporting Marginalized College Athletes' Experiences in College Athletics

 Fri, April 25, 8:00 to 9:30am MDT (9:00 to 10:30am CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Ballroom Level, Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3 

• Paper: Breaking Boundaries: Navigating the Intersections of Immigration and Athletics in Higher Education for Undocumented Athletes
• Abstract: This review paper critically examines the journey of undocumented students, including the often-overlooked subset of undocumented college athletes, through the higher education system. It examines the impact of legislative measures and legal disputes on their academic experiences. As well, this review discusses the disclosure dilemma faced by undocumented students, particularly athletes, and advocates for tailored support systems to help them navigate the complex intersection of immigration status and collegiate athletics. The article concludes with a discussion on comprehensive policies and support structures to ensure equitable treatment for all college athletes, regardless of their immigration status.
• Authors:
  Sonia Garcia Avelar, University of California - Riverside 
  Eddie Comeaux, University of California - Riverside

Paper Session: Identity and Exploitation in Collegiate Athletics: Examining Discrimination, Harassment, and Labor Dynamics in College Fitness and Recreation

 Fri, April 25, 9:50 to 11:20am MDT (10:50am to 12:20pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Meeting Room Level, Room 403

• Chair: Briana Savage, University of California - Riverside
• Paper: Global Sport Labor, Black Athletes and the NCAA Cartel: Novel Theoretical Directions for Analysis
• Abstract: This conceptual paper uses the theory of racial capitalism to articulate a new set of interpretations about the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and its relationship to both Black athletic labor and the international elite athletics landscape. I draw from a wide body of literature in the fields of college athletics, sport sociology, and critical theory to demonstrate how the modern NCAA consolidated and accumulated wealth on the backs of an essentially free, predominantly Black labor force. In addition, I point to the ways in which the NCAA acts alone as a cartel in the global basketball pipeline to the detriments of both domestic and international Black participant athletes.
• Author: Eric Matthew Davidson, University of California - Riverside

Roundtable Session: Marginalized Identities in Higher Education

 Fri, April 25, 9:50 to 11:20am MDT (10:50am to 12:20pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Ballroom Level, Four Seasons Ballroom 4

• Paper: The Cruelty is the Point: Diminishing the Lives of Faculty of Color
• Abstract: The inspiration for this paper emerged after a series of meetings among four teacher educators of Color engaged in a collective memory work (CMW) project. Initially, our purpose for coming together centered on finding solidarity in a supportive community while also creating a space for theorizing our memories of experiences with institutionalized racism. It was in this space where we explored our experiences individually and collectively. We met sixteen times during a 14-month period. During these two-hour meetings we discussed our institutional lives, the difficulties we face, and the broader socio-cultural implications of our work. Using a CMW protocol, we wrote and analyzed our personal narratives. Several themes and thoughts, such as racial gaslighting, emerged our research.
• Authors:
  Ramon Vasquez, University of Minnesota
  Sharon Leathers, Ramapo College
  Amos Joon Lee, University of California - Riverside 
  Ranita Cheruvu, University of North Texas

Roundtable Session: Nuanced Approaches to Informing Policy Implementation, SEM Tree Modelling, and Factors Impacting Opportunities to Learn

 Fri, April 25, 9:50 to 11:20am MDT (10:50am to 12:20pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Ballroom Level, Four Seasons Ballroom 1

• Paper: Reducing Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in Mathematics Achievement by Altering the Patterns and Timing of High School Mathematics Course-taking
• Abstract: This study aims to explore the effects of two potential interventions in reducing educational gaps in 11th-grade math achievement among high school students from diverse socioeconomic and racial/ethnic backgrounds. The interventions ensure that all students complete Algebra I by 9th grade and Algebra II by 11th grade. The results indicate that the first intervention demonstrates positive effects across all groups, notably narrowing the disparity for low-SES White students but leaving substantial gaps for other groups. The second intervention shows overall greater positive effects but widens the gap for certain intersectional groups, as high-SES Whites benefit disproportionately. Moreover, when these interventions are implemented in high-SES schools, they appear to bring more significant benefits to all groups except for high-SES White students.
• Authors:
  Xinyao Zheng, University of California - Riverside
  Soojin Park, University of California - Riverside

and

Race, Identity, and Equity in Education: QuantCrit Perspectives on Theory, Teacher Practices, and Student Outcomes

• Paper: Exploring Intersectional Effects of Race, Ge Exploring Intersectional Effects of Race, Gender, SES on STEM college readiness
• Abstract: Intersectionality is a framework positing that complex interactions between social or demographic characteristics impact perspectives, experiences, and outcomes. Educational research has increasingly focused on the role of intersectional differences in experiences and outcomes. This literature uses mostly qualitative methods. This study uses a newer quantitative approach, Multilevel Analysis of Individual Heterogeneity and Discriminatory Accuracy (MAIHDA), for modeling and testing intersectional effects. Using data from the High School Longitudinal Study, we use MAIHDA to explore the degree of intersectional effects in STEM college readiness, and factors that contribute to intersectional differences. 
• Author: Gregory J. Palardy, University of California - Riverside

Symposium: Refuge, Resistance, and Reimagination: Racial Affinity Spaces for Educators of Color Across the Pipeline

 Fri, April 25, 11:40am to 1:10pm MDT (12:40 to 2:10pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Terrace Level, Bluebird Ballroom Room 2D 

• Abstract: This session presents four papers that explore educators of Color across the pipeline (preservice teachers, in service teachers and teacher educators) who have sought refuge from and resistance toward a white dominant education system. Given that the teaching profession is overwhelmingly white, and that the current political climate has banned topics surrounding race and racism within classrooms, teachers of Color often find themselves in a hostile field that pushes against their pursuits of educational justice (Kohli 2021). Reminiscent of what bell hooks calls a homeplace, the four papers will address how educators of Color have navigated and resisted white supremacy within teaching and how racial affinity spaces for teachers inspire spaces to learn, heal, and reimagine a racially just education.
• Chairs: Hui-Ling S. Malone, University of California - Santa Barbara, Rita Kohli, University of California - Riverside
• Papers:
  • Reclaiming Place in Teaching: Future Teacher of Color Spaces as Communities of Resistance - Rita Kohli, University of California - Riverside
  • Claiming Space to (Re)generate: The Impact of Critical Race Professional Development on Teacher Educators of Color - Rita Kohli, University of California - Riverside

Invited Speaker Session: Political Polarization and Partisanship: How Social Studies Can Help Remedy Societal Divisions

 Fri, April 25, 3:20 to 4:50pm MDT (4:20 to 5:50pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Ballroom Level, Mile High Ballroom 1CD 

• Abstract: This panel focuses on research on emerging strategies and educational programs that attempt to address the effects of the current partisanship and polarization in the US that have characterized electoral politics and shaped battles over teaching and learning in P-16 educational settings. This panel is comprised of philosophers of education, political scientists, curriculum experts, and educational leadership scholars. Together, we examine the impact of polarization beyond the lens of political views on in and out groups to consider how polarization impacts schools, teachers, and students and may differ by region, demographic group, or urbanicity. The six panelists are involved in developing, implementing, or studying programs to address the effects of polarization and will discuss their projects’ theoretical grounding, design, and how they measure their impact.
• Discussant: Joseph E. Kahne, University of California - Riverside
• Panelist: Agata Soroko, University of California - Riverside

Roundtable Session: School Choice or Segregated Space? Stratification, Exclusion, and Race

 Fri, April 25, 3:20 to 4:50pm MDT (4:20 to 5:50pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Ballroom Level, Four Seasons Ballroom 1 

• Paper: Schooling for Suburbia: How Cultivated Inclusion and Curricula at a Suburban School Reinforce Suburban Interests
• Abstract: Playa Linda High School (pseudonym) is an excellent public school serving racially diverse students in suburban California. On the surface, the school appears a beacon of racial equality. All students participate in advanced course work and test scores are high across racial groups. This paper explores the development of racial ideology in this successful, suburban, multiracial context. Findings suggest two educational processes that produce ideologies that will likely reinforce suburban inequality. The first, "cultivated inclusion," ensured that only high performing and well-resourced students of color attended the school. Second, curricula avoided localized conversations about race - namely, robust histories of racial exclusion in their small-town suburb. As a result, students believed scant racial injustice existed in their local context.
• Author: Suneal H. Kolluri, University of California - Riverside

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Saturday, April 26

Roundtable Session: Educational Flow: Teacher Identity and Research in P-8 Classrooms

 Sat, April 26, 8:00 to 9:30am MDT (9:00 to 10:30am CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Ballroom Level, Four Seasons Ballroom 4

• Paper: The Toll of Teaching: An Auto-Ethnographic Exploration of Work Hours and Well-Being
• Abstract: This auto-ethnography explores the relationship between work hours and mental health over the first four years of my teaching career. By tracking total monthly hours and daily mental health ratings, patterns emerged, showing high hours and enthusiasm at the beginning of each school year, followed by end-of-term stress. Consistent patterns of noticeable mid-year slumps in hours and mental health ratings indicate burnout during the holiday seasons. The first year involved significantly more unpaid hours, which decreased over time as experience and confidence grew. These findings emphasize the need for systemic support to manage the fluctuating demands and mental health challenges early career classroom teachers face.
• Author: Ambrosia Daphne Solis, University of California - Riverside

Symposium: Resilient Pathways: Toward Political Theories of Action for Achieving Educational Equity

 Sat, April 26, 8:00 to 9:30am MDT (9:00 to 10:30am CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Meeting Room Level, Room 108

• Abstract: Since 2020, white supremacist backlash against racial justice movements has battered education policy through legislative bans, judicial decisions, and rhetorical attacks. These relentless efforts have weakened programs promoting diversity, leaving advocates at a crossroads. This symposium confronts how our theories of action have made us susceptible to anti-DEI movements seeking robust change strategies. We critique our own and our field’s legacy of reliance on superficial and symbolic shifts and provide models for collective (un)learning and transformative organizing across higher education. By embracing these resilient alternatives, we aim to imagine together more resilient paths toward truly equitable educational futures.
• Paper: From Symbolism to Substance: Boards of Trustees and Institutional Change for Educational Equity
• Author: Raquel M. Rall, University of California - Riverside

Roundtable Session: Wholeness in Who You Are While Navigating the Postsecondary Process and Beyond

 Sat, April 26, 9:50 to 11:20am MDT (10:50am to 12:20pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Ballroom Level, Four Seasons Ballroom 4

• Paper: Gender equity in access to computer science versus other majors
• Abstract: Computer scientists play a critical role in society and the economy, leading to more students applying for CS majors. University and departmental policies significantly impact access to CS programs and degree completion. This NSF-funded study examines equity in CS major applications and admissions, focusing on gender disparities. Analyzing data from two institutions, we find significant gender differences in CS applications and admissions, with female students less likely to apply compared to male students, unlike trends in other STEM and non-STEM majors. These disparities arise from both application behaviors and admissions processes.
• Authors:
  Anna E. Bargagliotti, Loyola Marymount University
  Cassandra M. Guarino, University of California - Riverside
  Yiwang Li, University of California - Riverside
  Robert Rovetti, Loyola Marymount University
  Christine Alvarado, University of California - San Diego
  Jelena Trajkovic, California State University - Long Beach
  Lisa M. Martin-Hansen, California State University - Long Beach

Governance Session: Journal Publications Committee: Closed Meeting

 Sat, April 26, 11:40am to 1:10pm MDT (12:40 to 2:10pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Meeting Room Level, Room 212

• Participants:
  Rita Kohli, University of California - Riverside,
  Uma Mazyck Jayakumar, University of California - Riverside

Paper Session: Critical Topics in Science Teaching and Learning

 Sat, April 26, 11:40am to 1:10pm MDT (12:40 to 2:10pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Meeting Room Level, Room 106

• Paper: Undergraduate courses under-depict the real-world diversity of STEM scholars
• Abstract: College STEM curricula that depict scholars of color, female scholars, and LGBTQ scholars could disrupt pervasive stereotypes. This may already happen in many courses; however, quantifying such depictions can be challenging because they may be spread idiosyncratically across textbooks, powerpoint presentations, and lectures. We distributed a survey to over 25,000 college instructors (final N=712) asking them to quantify depictions of marginalized scholars in their undergraduate STEM courses, and compared their responses with the demographics of recent Ph.D. recipients using data from the NCES Survey of Earned Doctorates. Findings suggest that undergraduate courses in many STEM disciplines depict significantly lower percentages of marginalized scholars than students would likely encounter if they eventually pursue doctoral degrees.
• Authors:
  Quentin Sedlacek, Southern Methodist University
  Sara Dozier, California State University - Long Beach
  Anthony Muro Villa, University of California - Riverside
  Michelle Friend, University of Nebraska - Omaha
  Heather Haeger, University of Arizona
  Karla Lomeli, Santa Clara University
  Joel Alejandro Mejia, University of Cincinnati
  Greses Perez, Tufts University 

Roundtable Session: Navigating Transitions and Well-Being in Collegiate Sports: Exploring Postgraduate Paths, Mental Health, Accessibility, and Name, Image, and Likeness

 Sat, April 26, 11:40am to 1:10pm MDT (12:40 to 2:10pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Ballroom Level, Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3

• Paper: Imagining Life After Sport: Black Women College Athletes’ Postgraduate Career Transitions
• Abstract: The proposed qualitative research study will employ antiblackness and intersectionality theory, specifically misogynoir, as frameworks to explore the racialized and gendered experiences of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Black women college athletes on primarily white institution (PWI) campuses, and the impact of those experiences on their postgraduate career transitions. The findings from this study will provide a deeper understanding of how Black women college athletes' navigate institutions and their career development processes; and provide ways for college athletic stakeholders, administrators, and higher education professionals to engage and support Black women athletes on their campuses in culturally relevant ways.
• Author: Briana Savage, University of California - Riverside

Governance Session: Journal Publications Committee With Editors Closed Meeting

 Sat, April 26, 1:30 to 3:00pm MDT (2:30 to 4:00pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Meeting Room Level, Room 401

• Participants:
  Rita Kohli, University of California - Riverside
  Uma Mazyck Jayakumar, University of California - Riverside

AERA Ed Talk: e-Lightening Ed-Talk Session 16 - Stage 1

 Sat, April 26, 3:20 to 4:50pm MDT (4:20 to 5:50pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Exhibit Hall Level, Exhibit Hall F - Stage 1

• Paper: The Sacred Grove Framework: Applying the Wisdom of Trees to the Management of Universities: Division J - Section 3: Organization, Management, and Leadership, Stage 1, 3:50 PM
• Abstract: This paper outlines a new ecologically-centered framework for re-imagining the academy. In drawing from the wisdom of nature and trees, combined with traditional and modern organizational theories, the framework examines how individuals and institutions function across higher education, reveals their underlying assumptions, and elucidates their present challenges.
• Author: Christine Victorino, University of California - Riverside

Paper Session: Embodied Learning in Mathematics: Gesture, Drawing, and Model Manipulation for Enhanced Learning

 Sat, April 26, 3:20 to 4:50pm MDT (4:20 to 5:50pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Terrace Level, Bluebird Ballroom Room 3B

• Paper: Comparing Embodied Teaching Strategies in Online Statistics
• Abstract: Introductory statistics is a gateway course that often impedes student progression to degree completion. Successfully learning statistics relies on spatial skills, and embodied learning tools (gestures and drawing) support learning of critical spatial STEM concepts. The efficacy of these tools for statistics learning has never been explored, especially in online environments. This study compares online video instruction with gestures to instruction with drawings on novice undergraduates’ (N = 61) understanding of standard deviation, a challenging spatial statistics concept. To assess the magnitude of their efficacy, we included a control condition without gestures or drawings. Results revealed gestures were marginally more effective than drawing, with similar perceived engagement. Findings have implications for online statistics pedagogy.
• Authors: 
  Luke Rabelhofer, University of California - Riverside
  Kinnari Atit, University of California - Riverside
  Catherine Lussier, University of California - Riverside
  Annie Stanfield Ditta, University of California - Riverside
  Felipe Cruz, University of California - Riverside

Paper Session: Expanding the Ways of Understanding Educational Leadership

 Sat, April 26, 3:20 to 4:50pm MDT (4:20 to 5:50pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Meeting Room Level, Room 107

• Paper: Under the Radar: Why School Boards Deserve More Attention in Educational Research
• Abstract: This literature review examines the roles, challenges, and impact of school board members in the U.S., emphasizing the need for more contemporary research to support just education renewal. Effective governance by school boards has been linked to improved student performance. The review explores financial and political challenges, balancing local control, mandates, and professional development needs. It highlights school boards' significant yet under-researched role in shaping educational policy, calling for more comprehensive studies to enhance their effectiveness in public education.
• Author: Ambrosia Daphne Solis, University of California - Riverside

Symposium: Navigating Access and Opportunity: Examining Challenges, Resistance, and Possibilities of Undocumented Students' Success in California

 Sat, April 26, 3:20 to 4:50pm MDT (4:20 to 5:50pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Terrace Level, Bluebird Ballroom Room 2C

• Abstract: This session is led by an interdisciplinary group of current and former undocumented scholars pursuing their Ph.D. programs. The panel will explore the experiences of undocumented students navigating the pipeline from high school to graduate school. Each presentation highlights systemic challenges faced by undocumented students in California, racialization, and the impacts of federal and state policies. Presenters will showcase how undocumented students persist and leverage their families and activism to overcome barriers. Attendees will gain insight into the challenges students encounter at each stage of their educational journey and identify both parallels and differences in students’ experiences. Finally, attendees will leave with actionable steps to advocate for undocumented students.
• Chair: José Reyes Del Real Viramontes, University of California - Riverside
• Papers: FERPA: Exploring How Higher Education Practitioners Protect DACA Students at a University of California campus - Ariana Aparicio Aguilar, University of California - Riverside
• In Retrospect: The Educational and Personal Journey of Undocumented Students at a 4-year Institution - Miriam G. Delgado, University of California - Riverside

Poster Session: Topics in Higher Education

 Sat, April 26, 3:20 to 4:50pm MDT (4:20 to 5:50pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Exhibit Hall Level, Exhibit Hall F - Poster Session

• Paper: The Sacred Grove Framework: Applying the Wisdom of Trees to the Management of Universities
• Abstract: This paper outlines a new ecologically-centered framework for re-imagining the academy. In drawing from the wisdom of nature and trees, combined with traditional and modern organizational theories, the framework examines how individuals and institutions function across higher education, reveals their underlying assumptions, and elucidates their present challenges.
• Author: Christine Victorino, University of California - Riverside

Governance Session: AERA Ethics Committee: Closed Meeting

 Sat, April 26, 3:20 to 4:50pm MDT (4:20 to 5:50pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Meeting Room Level, Room 210

• Participant: Eddie Comeaux, University of California - Riverside

 

Paper Session: Confronting Racial Bias and Fostering Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in Teacher Education

Sat, April 26, 5:10 to 6:40pm MDT (6:10 to 7:40pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Terrace Level, Bluebird Ballroom Room 3D

• Paper: Teacher Educators of Color and The Pervasive Racial Harm of Teacher Education
• Abstract: As research continues to point to the pervasive whiteness of teacher education, scholarship has also shown the impact of teacher educators of Color in disrupting Eurocentric curriculum, pedagogy, and ideologies. For decades, a growing body of auto-ethnographic accounts have documented racial harm that teacher educators of Color endure engaging in this labor; yet little has improved. Through a lens of critical race theory (CRT), this paper presents an analysis of in-depth interviews with 31 teacher educators of Color to document the patterns of racial harm they experience, enacted and/or condoned by programs leaders, faculty, and students. We end with a call for the institutional accountability of teacher education programs to identify and disrupt structural and interpersonal racism.
• Authors:
  Rita Kohli, University of California - Riverside
  Marcos Pizarro, California State University - Los Angeles
  Emily Dech, University of California - Riverside

Sunday, April 27

Symposium: Crossing the Decoding Threshold: Research, Remedy, and Repair for Older Students With Word Recognition Needs

 Sun, April 27, 8:00 to 9:30am MDT (9:00 to 10:30am CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Meeting Room Level, Room 304

• Abstract: Framed in the conference’s themes of Research, Remedy, and Recovery, this symposium examines the complex word reading needs of diverse students in late elementary, middle, and high school above and below “the decoding threshold” identified by Wang and colleagues (2019). The first paper explores how decoding skills interact with other critical reading skills over time. The second paper examines multisyllabic decoding skills for students in 4th and 5th grade to identify implications for instruction. The final paper describes a research-practice partnership to support reading growth for adolescent students, particularly those who speak African American Vernacular English. A national expert will lead a discussion to identify directions for future research to address the specific literacy needs of older students.
• Paper: Multisyllabic Decoding Challenges for Students Above and Below the Decoding Threshold Attending a Diverse Urban Elementary School
• Authors:
  Laura S. Tortorelli, Michigan State University
  John Z. Strong, University at Buffalo - SUNY
  Blythe E. Anderson, University at Buffalo - SUNY
  Eunsoo Cho, University of California - Riverside
  Amy K. Edlefson, Michigan State University

Symposium: Factors Shaping Participation and Outcomes of Participation From Childhood Through Adolescence to Emerging Adulthood

 Sun, April 27, 11:40am to 1:10pm MDT (12:40 to 2:10pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Terrace Level, Bluebird Ballroom Room 3H

• Paper: The Relationship Between Social Science Learning Opportunities and Civic Outcomes Among High School Students
• Abstract: This paper examines how social science education efforts can promote the development of civic commitments and attitudes in young people. Drawing on a unique panel dataset of middle and high school students in a large urban school district in the United States (N = 41,727 students from 595 schools) conducted in 2022 and 2023, we investigate the effects of two core priorities of social science classes, opportunities for inquiry and an emphasis on culturally responsive curriculum. These two sets of learning opportunities reflect distinct visions regarding both the aims and means of democratic education. Those emphasizing inquiry often prioritize the development of analytic and research skills and seek to provide opportunities to practice varied forms of scholarly, often historical, investigation. Those emphasizing culturally responsive curriculum, in contrast, often center attention on students’ identities and communities while foregrounding concern for relevance as a means of motivating civic engagement.
• Authors:
  Joseph E. Kahne, University of California - Riverside
  Benjamin T. Bowyer, University of California - Riverside

Symposium: Understanding and Addressing Mechanisms Within Reading Instruction Toward Mindfulness-Based Interventions, Anxiety Reduction, and Improved Attention

 Sun, April 27, 11:40am to 1:10pm MDT (12:40 to 2:10pm CDT), The Colorado Convention Center, Floor: Meeting Room Level, Room 403

• Abstract: This symposium features three papers examining the complex interplay between anxiety, mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), and attention in the context of reading difficulties. The first study highlights the links between anxiety and reading achievement, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to support both reading and anxiety. The second study reviews 61 research articles on MBIs in schools, noting their positive effects on cognitive and socio-emotional development but limited impact on behavior and academic performance. The third study explores integrating behavior supports into reading interventions, showing improvements in attention but mixed results for reading outcomes. Collectively, these findings advocate for comprehensive approaches that address both emotional and instructional needs to improve educational outcomes for students with reading difficulties.
• Paper: The Impact of Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Schools on Cognitive, Socio-Emotional, Behavioral, and Academic Outcomes
• Author: Michael Solis, University of California - Riverside