Describing the Irreconcilable: An Inventory of K–12 and Higher Education Ethnic Studies Offerings in Texas

• In Event: Educational Policy Discourses: International Perspectives

Abstract

Fifty years ago, the first ethnic studies programs were brought to life, inspired by transformational young activists in the San Francisco Bay area. Over the last decade, at the K-12 level, ethnic studies programs have been simultaneously attacked and scaled up. This descriptive study illuminates the landscape of ethnic studies programs in Texas. Through administrative and publicly available data, I examine ethnic studies offerings in both K-12 and higher education. I find enormous potential for ethnic studies expansion in Texas through dual credit partnerships that do not require deep investment in additional staff development. This study also highlights the importance of a re-examination of social studies credentialing in Texas and/or the development of teaching certificates in ethnic studies fields.

Author

• Eliza Epstein, The University of Texas at Austin