Whose Voices Matter? Looking at Community Stakeholder Participation in a University-School Partnership

• In Event: AERA Research in Progress Roundtable Session Five
  In Invited Roundtable: Research-in-Progress RT042 (Sunday)

Abstract

This study seeks to examine a comprehensive University–School partnership that took place between 1989 and 2008 in a historically multilingual community. Unlike typical classroom- or school-level collaborations, this partnership involved an entire district, presenting a unique opportunity to explore large-scale community engagement in educational reform. Grounded in Yosso’s (2005) theory of community cultural wealth, the study will investigate how cultural capital was recognized, utilized, or overlooked within the partnership. Using a qualitative case study design, researchers will analyze archival documents and conduct interviews and focus groups with teachers, administrators, students, and parents. The study seeks to understand stakeholder roles, changing perceptions, and the nature of university–community relationships, offering insights into the challenges and possibilities of equitable, district-wide educational partnerships.

Authors

• Jennifer Bryson, Boston University

• Cassandra Kobelski, Boston University