Andrew Leland

Andrew Leland's research focuses on the accessibility of family engagement in schools for parents of underserved and marginalized populations. He is particularly interested in learning about the ways that family engagement programs in schools create barriers for parents to become fully involved in their children’s schools, and how parents address and navigate those barriers. His research aims to draw attention to the ways that these experiences differ by intersections of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, and sexual orientation. In addition to parents' experiences, He is also interested in looking at the ways that pre-service teachers come to understand issues of diversity throughout their teacher preparation programs. He is currently engaged in two research projects. The first focuses on the experiences of same-sex parents, particularly gay fathers, in the contexts of their children's schooling and education. The second looks at the ways that teacher evaluations address issues of diversity in their frameworks.