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Education, Leadership, and Policy Studies Researcher Recognized by Education Week

Education, Leadership, and Policy Studies Researcher Recognized by Education Week

Education, Leadership, and Policy Studies Researcher Recognized by Education Week

January 4, 2024 by Alyssa Seisser

Education, Leadership, and Policy Studies Researcher Recognized by Education Week

Rachel White’s Superintendent Research is a Top-10 Education Study for 2023

2023 has been quite the year for Rachel White, an assistant professor in the department of Educational Policy and Leadership Studies She’s been nationally recognized for her early-career work in the field of educational leadership with the Jack A. Culbertson Award from the University Council For Educational Administration. She’s also been selected to serve on a United States Department of Education Regional Advisory Committee to provide advice and recommendations concerning the educational needs in the Appalachian region and how those needs can be most effectively addressed. However, her research into superintendent attrition and gender gaps has put her in the national spotlight.

Rachel White

Recently, Education Week named White’s study on attrition and gender gaps among K-12 district superintendents as a Top-10 Educational Study of 2023. First published in the journal Educational Researcher, one way that White’s research demonstrates the magnitude of the gender gap is through superintendent first names. She finds that one out of every five superintendents in the United States is named Michael, David, James, Jeff, John, Robert, Steven, Chris, Brian, Scott, Mark, Kevin, Jason, Matthew, or Daniel. In fact, Education Week and Ed Surge brought the story to national attention with the articles “There’s a Good Chance Your Superintendent Has One of These 15 Names” and “What Are the Odd’s Your Superintendent is Named Michael, John, or David?”

In order to diversify the superintendency, women superintendents must be hired to replace outgoing men. However, drawing on the most recent data update of her National Longitudinal Superintendent Database, White recently published a data brief showing that over the last five years, 50% of the time a man turned over, he was replaced by another man, and a woman replaced a woman 10% of the time. A man replaced a woman 18% of the time, and a woman replaced a man 22% of the time.

When thinking about the importance of this research, White shared “Nearly ten years ago, the New York Times reported a similar trend among large companies: more S&P 1500 firms were being run by men named John than women, in total. The emulation of this trend in the K12 education sector, in 2024, is alarming. Public schools are often touted as “laboratories of democracy”: places where young people learn civic engagement and leadership skills to participate in a democratic society. Yet, what young people see in K12 public schools is that leadership positions—the highest positions of power in local K-12 education institutions—are primarily reserved for men.”

One thing is for certain, we have a way to go when it comes to balanced gender representation in school district leadership. White’s research has shown that, while over 75 percent of teachers and 56 percent of principals are women, the pace at which the superintendent gender gap is closing feels glacial: the current 5-year national average for gender gap closure rate is 1.4 percentage points per year. At this rate, the estimated year of national gender equality in the superintendency is 2039.

“Superintendents are among the most visible public figures in a community, interfacing with students, educators, families, business, and local government officials on a daily basis,” White shared. “A lack of diversity in these leadership positions can convey that a district is unwelcoming of diverse leaders that bring valuable insights and perspectives to education policy and leadership work.”

White continued, “Not only do we need to recruit and hire diverse leaders to the superintendency, but school boards and communities need to be committed to respecting, valuing, and supporting diverse district superintendents. New analyses of the updated NLSD show that women’s’ attrition rates spiked from 16.8% to 18.2% over the past year, while men’s remained stable around 17% for the past three years. We need to really reflect and empirically examine why this pattern has emerged, and what school boards, communities, and organizations and universities preparing and supporting women leaders can do to change this trajectory.”

 White has doubled down on her commitment to establishing rigorous and robust research on superintendents with the launch of The Superintendent Lab—a hub for data and research on school district superintendency. In fact, The Superintendent Lab is home to The National Longitudinal Superintendent Database, with data on over 12,500 superintendents across the United States, updated annually. With the 2023-24 database update completed, the NLSD now houses over 65,000 superintendent-year datapoints. The database allows the lab team to learn more about issues related to superintendent labor markets over time, and even produce interactive data visualizations for the public to better understand trends in superintendent gender gaps and attrition.

Along with a team of 10 research assistants and lab affiliates, White hopes to foster a collaborative dialog among policy leaders which may lead to identifying ways to create a more inclusive and equitable K-12 school systems.

“A comprehensive understanding of the superintendency in every place and space in the United States has really never been prioritized or pursued. My hope is that, through The Superintendent Lab, and the development of rigorous and robust datasets and research, I can elevate data-driven dialogue to advance policies and practices that contribute more equitable and inclusive spaces in education. And, along the way, I am passionate about the Lab being a space for students from all levels to engage in meaningful research experiences – potentially igniting a spark in others to use their voice and pursue opportunities that will contribute to great equity and inclusion in K12 education leadership,” said White.

Filed Under: CEHHS, Departments, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Informative, Recognition

Kelchen Once Again Named Top Scholar Influencer

Kelchen Once Again Named Top Scholar Influencer

January 4, 2024 by Alyssa Seisser

Kelchen Once Again Named Top Scholar Influencer

We’ve all heard the term “influencer.” Many of us associate an influencer as someone with a large following on social media, such as Instagram or YouTube, who set trends or promotes products. But did you know that there are a select group of scholar influencers who help shape educational practice and policy?

Robert Kelchen

One of those scholar influencers is Robert Kelchen, who serves as department head of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies (ELPS) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (CEEHHS).  Kelchen is ranked 41 out of 20,000 scholars nationwide in Education Week’s Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings for 2024. In fact, Kelchen is the only scholar from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, to make the list.

“As a faculty member at a land-grant university, it is my job to help share knowledge well beyond the classroom or traditional academic journals,” said Kelchen. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with policymakers, journalists, and college leaders on a regular basis to help improve higher education.”

For 14 years, Education Week selects the top-200 scholars (out of an eligible pool of 20,000) from across the United States as having the most influence on issues and policy in education. The list is compiled by opinion columnist Rick Hess, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and director of Education Policy Studies.

The selection process  includes a 38-member Selection Committee made up of university scholars representing public and private institutions from across the United States. The Selection Committee calculates scores including, Google Scholar Scores, Book Points, Amazon Rankings, Congressional Record mentions, media, and web appearances and then ranks the scholar accordingly.  Kelchen is considered a “go-to” source for reporters covering issues in higher education, with over 200 media interviews, year after year. If there is a story about higher education in the media, you’ll more than likely find a quote from Kelchen as an expert source.

“In the last year, I have had the pleasure of supporting several states on their higher education funding models, presenting to groups of legislators, and being a resource to reporters diving into complex higher education finance topics. These engagements help strengthen my own research and give me the opportunity to teach cutting-edge classes to ELPS students,” said Kelchen.

In addition, Kelchen received national recognition by the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) for his research on higher education finance, accountability policies and practices, and student financial aid. ASHE’s Council on Public Policy in Higher Education selected Kelchen for its Excellence in Public Policy Higher Education Award.

Through its eight departments and 12 centers, the UT Knoxville College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences enhances the quality of life for all through research, outreach, and practice. Find out more at cehhs.utk.edu

Filed Under: CEHHS, Departments, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Featured, Informative, Recognition

Gao Recognized by SHAPE America for Enhancing Inclusion and Equity in Health and Physical Education

Gao Recognized by SHAPE America for Enhancing Inclusion and Equity in Health and Physical Education

January 3, 2024 by Alyssa Seisser

Gao Recognized by SHAPE America for Enhancing Inclusion and Equity in Health and Physical Education

KRSS Department Head Receives F.B. Henderson Award for His Commitment to Inclusion

Zan Gao

Zan Gao, Department Head in Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies (KRSS) in the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (CEHHS) is the latest recipient of the F.B. Henderson Award from SHAPE America. This prestigious national award is presented to minoritized members of SHAPE America for their long-standing commitment to academic, mentorship, and service through enhancing the involvement of underserved populations in their professional field. Gao will be receiving this award at the SHAPE America national conference on March 14th, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio.

“I am deeply honored to receive the F.B. Henderson Award,” said Gao. “This recognition by SHAPE America not only highlights the importance of inclusivity and diversity in our field, but also reinforces my commitment to nurturing and empowering underserved communities through education and mentorship in kinesiology and sport studies.”

SHAPE America is the Society of Health and Physical Educators and is the oldest and largest organization dedicated to health and physical education. Founded in 1885, the organization defines excellence in school-based health and physical education. In fact, SHAPE America’s national standards in health education and physical education have provided the framework for effective instruction for K-12 students nationwide.

Zan Gao (left) with a group from the Physical Activity Epidemiology Lab

Gao has made significant contributions to diversity at different levels throughout teaching, scholarship, and service. The criteria for the E. B. Henderson Award require that the recipient “demonstrate successful and exemplary involvement in scholarship.” Gao’s academic record is exceptional and well-funded. His main research focus includes population-based behavior change interventions to prevent chronic diseases through application of lifestyle technology, with the goal of promoting health and optimal development. He accomplishes this in the context of promoting inclusive environments that benefit diverse populations and is presently studying the interactive effects of modern technology, physical activity, health outcomes, and disease prevention among underserved populations including children of color, overweight adults, and breast cancer survivors.

Gao is a highly productive researcher as evidenced by his impressive list of publications in a variety of high impact peer-reviewed journals. His remarkable research production is reflected in his impressive h-index of 52 and with 7920 Google Scholar citations. Most recently, he has been included in the World’s Top 2% Scientists from all areas (Career Impact) (1960-2023) List and 2023 Impact List (Ranked #46,716 in the world). In 2023 Dr. Gao is listed as one of the Best Scientists in Social Sciences and Humanities by Research.com (Ranked 4,945 in the world and 2,463 in the U.S.). Dr. Gao has been awarded over 10 million dollars as the Principle Investigator (PI)and Co-investigator in grant funding. For example, Gao was the designer and Principal Investigator of a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Salud America grant designed to investigate the engagement of urban Latino students in culturally appropriate physical activities. He was also awarded by the National Institutes of Health to study the impact of active video games on underserved children’ health. As an example of his work focusing on underserved youth, Gao recently published a paper entitled “Small-groups versus full-class exergaming on urban minority adolescents’ physical activity, enjoyment, and self-efficacy” as the corresponding author in the Journal of Physical activity and Health. He was also the lead author on an article entitled “Video game–based exercise, Latino children’s physical health, and academic achievement” in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. These and other works by Gao demonstrate an important strand of his research agenda that focuses on health and education disparities in underserved populations.

During his tenure at various universities, Gao has taught and advised students with different backgrounds and experiences derived from, e.g., different race/ethnicities, colors, religions, national origins, citizenships, sexes, sexual orientations, gender identities, ages, disabilities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. For example, he has mentored students in master’s and doctoral studies including directing master’s theses and doctoral dissertations.

In his research lab in spring 2023, there were a dozen of students and post-docs from a variety race/ethnicity and 7 countries (United States, South Korea, Japan, China, Egypt, Spain, Nigeria). In all these activities,  Gao functions with an undergirding effort to forward an agenda of diversity and equity as reflected in his participation in “Equity and Diversity Certificate” from the University of Minnesota. (2021-2022) and his “Leading for Equity” efforts at the National Association of Kinesiology in Higher Education (2021). As a result of his dedication and commitment to equity and inclusion in the profession, he received the 2015 SHAPE America Leroy T. Walker Young Professional Award.

Gao has an impressive record of leadership skills at the professional, university, and community levels, while addressing the health and education disparities during his service.  Gao is currently serving as a committee member of Diversity Action Committee at American College of Sports Medicine.

Gao believes in leading by example. As the newly hired department head of the Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, one of his first sponsored activities was to organize a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion workshop for his faculty in November 2023. This demonstrates the value he places on access and engagement. The example he has set with his impressive research, teaching and service record is truly inspirational. That record is augmented by his valuing of diversity and the dignity and worth of all students, faculty, and staff. His recognition of the need and value of diversity is reflected in his scholarship, teaching, and service. The quality and quantity of his work in conjunction with the national and international recognition Gao has garnered in his career, attests to his tremendous contribution to access and engagement. He serves as an example of the value of diversity and inclusion in academia.

For Gao, the F.B Henderson Award is an incredible honor and recognition of his long-standing contributions to his profession. From scholarship to service, Gao is dedicated to promoting health and wellness to all.

“The Henderson Award  is a testament to the collective efforts of many who believe in the power of sport and physical activity to transform lives. I thank SHAPE America for this prestigious honor and vow to continue advocating for the involvement of diverse populations in our field, ensuring that every individual has the opportunity to achieve excellence in health and human sciences,” said Gao.

The F.B Henderson Award is named for Edwin Bancroft Henderson, a noted author teacher, coach, and administrator in physical education and athletics. One of his major scholarly contributions was The Negro in Sports, published in 1939. Tennis star Arthur Ashe used Henderson’s work as the basis for a three-volume series on the African American Athlete. In addition, Henderson widely recognized as the “Grandfather of Black Basketball” through his introduction of basketball in 1904 to African Americans in Washington, D.C.

 

 

 

Filed Under: CEHHS, Departments, Informative, Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sports Studies, Recognition

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