Dissertation Defense Announcement Ed.D. Program: John Adams “Diversity and Equity in Curriculum Decision-Making in K–12 School Districts: A Mixed-Methods Investigation of Subject-Based Curricula Procurement”
The purpose of this multi-site exploratory case study was to examine how NJ K–12 school districts operationalize diversity, equity, and inclusivity during subject-based curriculum decision-making. Framed by Critical Race Theory, educational organizations operate under a system of structural inequities that predetermines who accesses resources, who is included in curriculum, and who can access opportunity. State and district policy rhetoric supports culturally responsive curriculum; however, there is a lack of research capturing how leaders are equity-minded when purchasing decisions are influenced by budget constraints, politics, and accountability pressures.
Five research questions guided data collection and subsequent analysis to understand (a) what steps leaders take when adopting curriculum, (b) how districts balanced budget limitations with high-leverage instruction and diverse, accurate representation, (c) how student assessment data and district demographics impacted evaluation and decision-making when purchasing curriculum, (d) educator and stakeholder roles in influencing outcomes, and if equity-minded curriculum decision-making was purposefully used to close achievement gaps.
Participants completed a 43-question mixed-method survey about their role and decision-making processes ( N = 11, 10 public school districts and 1 charter district). District level data included 2 years of aggregate NJSLA data ( Spring 2024 & Spring 2025) in English language arts, mathematics, and science to measure performance and New Jersey Department of Education enrollment reports and IDEA Section 618 rates to provide context for race and ethnicity, free/reduced-price lunch, multilingual learners, and students with disabilities.
Results indicated that all districts were extremely limited by funding and cut costs when feasible, use state standards to help guide decisions about curriculum purchases, involve stakeholders when adopting curriculum, and state intentions of wanting to create equitable learning environments for all students. Although participants focused on diversity and inclusion, implementation of those ideals looked different across districts due to local context and capacity. NJSLA data was used as background information instead of guiding factors for purchasing. When looking across districts, schools with higher populations of historically marginalized students seemed to focus on culturally responsive materials and interventions.
Keywords: achievement gaps; culturally responsive curriculum; curriculum decision-making; educational equity; stakeholder engagement; structural inequities.