Educator Advocacy and Postsecondary Readiness Politics
Type of Presentation
Poster Session
Location
University Library
Start Date
4-10-2026 11:30 AM
End Date
4-10-2026 12:45 PM
Description of Program
This poster represents a proposed doctoral study examining educator advocacy, relational work, and institutional politics shaping postsecondary readiness efforts for Black students in racially marginalized suburban school contexts.
Abstract
Postsecondary readiness is commonly framed as preparation for college and careers and as a technical outcome of academic preparation and planning. However, research suggests readiness is also shaped by political decisions related to power, resources, and competing stakeholder interests (Bolman & Deal, 2017). These dynamics are especially visible in racially marginalized suburban schools shaped by regional inequality. This poster presents a proposed doctoral research project guided by the question: How do educators navigate institutional structures and political dynamics to support Black students’ postsecondary readiness in racially marginalized suburban schools? Drawing on scholarship that frames readiness as a politicized and racialized construct (Conley, 2012; Castro, 2013), the study conceptualizes schools as political environments rather than neutral sites of policy implementation. Using a qualitative narrative inquiry design, the study examines how educators rely on relational knowledge and professional judgment to navigate institutional expectations and competing stakeholder demands in supporting Black students’ postsecondary readiness. References Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2017). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership (6th ed.). Jossey-Bass. Castro, E. L. (2013). Racialized readiness for college and career: Toward an equity-grounded social science of intervention programming. Community College Review, 41(4), 292–310. https://doi.org/10.1177/0091552113504291 Conley, D. T. (2012). A complete definition of college and
Educator Advocacy and Postsecondary Readiness Politics
University Library
Postsecondary readiness is commonly framed as preparation for college and careers and as a technical outcome of academic preparation and planning. However, research suggests readiness is also shaped by political decisions related to power, resources, and competing stakeholder interests (Bolman & Deal, 2017). These dynamics are especially visible in racially marginalized suburban schools shaped by regional inequality. This poster presents a proposed doctoral research project guided by the question: How do educators navigate institutional structures and political dynamics to support Black students’ postsecondary readiness in racially marginalized suburban schools? Drawing on scholarship that frames readiness as a politicized and racialized construct (Conley, 2012; Castro, 2013), the study conceptualizes schools as political environments rather than neutral sites of policy implementation. Using a qualitative narrative inquiry design, the study examines how educators rely on relational knowledge and professional judgment to navigate institutional expectations and competing stakeholder demands in supporting Black students’ postsecondary readiness. References Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2017). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership (6th ed.). Jossey-Bass. Castro, E. L. (2013). Racialized readiness for college and career: Toward an equity-grounded social science of intervention programming. Community College Review, 41(4), 292–310. https://doi.org/10.1177/0091552113504291 Conley, D. T. (2012). A complete definition of college and