The IMPACT of the Scholarly Practitioner Doctorate

“The IMPACT of the Scholarly Practitioner Doctorate: Developing Socially-Just Leaders to Make Equitable Change provides a timely and thoughtfully varied presentation of how the education doctorate effectively develops leaders focused on equity and social justice. It notably demonstrates the power of the education doctorate as a catalyst for fostering improvement and instigating change. Smith Budhai and Hill have carefully curated a collection of chapters, each one showcasing a unique social justice context, inviting a broad range of readers to feel included in this vital conversation. This edited volume holds immense value for all education doctorate faculty and students who are passionately committed to social justice and for leaders seeking inspiration and courage to pursue this needed work.”

Christopher Benedetti, PhD, Associate Professor of Educational Leadership, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi

“The edited collection, The Impact of the Scholar-Practitioner Doctorate: Developing Socially-Just Leaders to Make Equitable Change, embodies guidelines from the CPED that focus on equity, ethics, and social justice.Authored by Ed.D. faculty and students, each chapter’s narrative will inspire educators to challenge educational hegemonic norms, while encouraging future professionals to use their degree for creating a better world. With its rich stories and unwavering focus on socially-just leadership, this book shares practical approaches for developing transformative facilitators who can bring authentic social/ecological justice and respect for diversity into teaching and learning.”

Four Arrows, author of "Teaching Truly: A Curriculum to Indigenize Mainstream Education, and Restoring the Kinship Worldview"

“Smith Budhai and Hill’s compilation, The IMPACT of the Scholarly Practitioner Doctorate: Developing Socially-Just Leaders to Make Equitable Change, is a much-needed textbook for anyone aspiring to instill praxis in today’s political realm of education. Within it, readers will learn of the impact of Black Feminist Theory on rising scholar-practitioners, complexities of conducting social justice-grounded research in schools, development and continuance of the mentor-mentee relationship beyond the dissertation, and numerous examples of socially just leadership in action. This textbook is significant for advancing the critical consciousness of EdD faculty and the programs they lead.”

Ricardo Garcia, PhD, Lecturer, Department of Educational Administration, Doctor of Education in Leadership for Organizations, University of Dayton

“Authors in The IMPACT of the Scholarly Practitioner Doctorate: Developing Socially-Just Leaders to Make Equitable Change creatively and bravely take on the challenge of exploring the impact of the scholarly practitioner doctorate on equity-centered work. Drawing from various theories, styles of writing, and angles to examine the EdD experience, the book offers readers nuanced lessons on developing socially-just leaders through doctoral study. This collection of chapters makes a strong contribution to advancing the work of CPED and broader connections to the function and design of the Educational Doctorate and its role in advancing equity in education at all levels.”

Joy Howard, PhD, Associate Professor, Western Carolina University

“A critical distinguishing feature of doctoral education is the mentor-mentee relationship. Smith Budhai and Hill’s book, The IMPACT of the Scholarly Practitioner Doctorate: Developing Socially-Just Leaders to Make Equitable Change, provides a space for the exploration of the mentor-mentee relationship as a vehicle for the mentee’s journey toward becoming a socially just leader in educational contexts. Each of these chapters is a powerful narrative that provides the reader with authentic experiences that fostered a social justice mindset between the actors in this relationship. Understanding the journey toward social justice leadership, each of the chapters provides examples of the impact of these powerful programs beyond the doctoral degree. Kudos to Smith Budhai and Hill for bringing together these compelling examples of the potential of the professional doctorate.”

Stephen Pape, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Johns Hopkins University

Acknowledgments

Foreword

Preface

Introduction

Chapter 1. Opening Doors: Advancing Equity through Teamwork in Suburban Schools
by Kristine S. Lewis Grant and Ilana Shipe

Chapter 2. From Equality to Equity in EdD Programs: Beyond Having a “Place at the Table” to Having a “Voice” to Transform the Academy
by Patricia Lane and Mahmoud Suleiman

Chapter 3. A Dissertation in Practice: Individual and Collaborative Efforts to Support Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy in a Predominantly Hispanic High School
by Vicki Vescio and Misael Gonzalez

Chapter 4. A Laboratory of Socially-Just Leadership
by Jennifer Adams, Kimberly Bridges, Brittany Gracik, Rochelle Jordan, and Yeimarie Lopez

Chapter 5. The Importance of a Community of Practice: Turning Disillusionment into a Catalyst for Change
by Gudrun Nyunt and Jenifer Montag

Chapter 6. Keeping One Another Charged for an Evolving Antiracist Journey
by Tomiko Ball and Samantha Cohen

Chapter 7. “I Am . . . a Socially-Just Leader”: Capturing the Empowerment of Scholarly Practitioners Through Poetry
by Marjorie C. Ringler, Travis Lewis, Patrick Greene, and Rodney McNeill

Chapter 8. Creating a Socially-Just and Equitable EMBA Program for Women
by Kris Robertson Street and Matthew A. Witenstein

Chapter 9. Diné Scholars, Practitioners, and Activists
by Miranda Jensen Haskie and Barbara P. Mink

Chapter 10. “We Make the Road by Walking”: The Ongoing Development and Impact of Social Justice Leaders
by Liliana E. Castrellón, Jacqueline Roebuck Sakho, Ronald W. Whitaker II, and Rick McCown

Chapter 11. Restorative Mentorship to Promote Reciprocal Collaboration for Socially-Just Leadership
by Stefania Forte and Alia Sheety

Chapter 12. Mentoring in Color: The Journey of One Black Doctoral Candidate and her Mentors from Problem of Practice to Dissertation and Beyond
by Franchesca Ho Sang, Marshall George, and Sherry L. Deckman

Epilogue

Appendix A. “I am . . . a Socially Just Leader”: Capturing the Empowerment of Scholarly Practitioners Through Poetry
by Marjorie C. Ringler, Travis Lewis, Patrick Greene, and Rodney McNeill

Appendix B. Dissertations by Members of the Navajo Nation Who Have Obtained an EdD at Fielding

About the Authors

Index

Stephanie Smith Budhai

Stephanie Smith Budhai, Ph.D. is an associate clinical professor at Drexel University School of Education’s CPED award-winning Education Doctorate in Leadership and Management Program. Stephanie has spent over a decade supporting scholarly practitioners as they journey through their doctoral studies and has supervised dozens of EdD dissertations. Stephanie is the founding co-host of the Drexel EdD IMPACT podcast, which highlights alums who have leveraged their EdDs to lead socially justice practices in their professional fields. Stephanie is also on the CPED Online/Hybrid CIG leadership team and co-chairs the Culture and Climate Committee for the Society of Information Technology and Teacher Education. Stephanie has published myriad books and articles, most recently Culturally Responsive Teaching Online and In-Person: An Action Planner for Dynamic Equitable Learning Environments and Casting a Wider Net: Incorporating Black Feminist Theory to Support EdD Students’ Epistemological Stance Development in Research Methods Courses.

Deanna Hill

Dr. Deanna Hill is Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Policy, Organization, and Leadership in the School of Education at Drexel University. She is the Director of the EdD in Educational Leadership and Management Program, and has also served as Director of the Master of Science in Higher Education Program and Coordinator of the Capstone in Higher Education and Global and International Education. Dr. Hill's research focuses on the role of law and policy in addressing issues of access, opportunity, and equity in PK-20 and professional education. Dr. Hill spent much of her career conducting and disseminating educational research in the field. She was Principal Technical Assistance Consultant at the American Institutes for Research in Washington, DC, where she served as Equity and Talent Development Coherence Lead for the federally-funded Center on Great Teachers and Leaders, co-lead on several educator effectiveness projects for the federally-funded Southeast Comprehensive Center, and director of the school choice sub-practice area. Also, Dr. Hill served as Senior Policy Analyst for West Wind Education Policy, Inc.; Research and Evaluation Specialist for the Georgia Department of Education; and adjunct researcher for both the RAND Corporation and the Center on Education Policy. Dr. Hill has published peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, technical reports, and white papers. Additionally, she has presented her work at national and international conferences. Dr. Hill earned a B.A. in Political Science, Certificate in African Studies, and J.D. (Law) at the University of Iowa. She earned her PhD in Education Policy Studies at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Hill is a licensed attorney and practiced law with a large firm in Austin, Texas, in the late 1990s.