Student news

Doctoral Student Awarded AERA Research Grant

Glenn Research Fellow Kristabel Stark, a doctoral student in special education, has received a grant from the American Educational Research Association (AERA) to study the effects of COVID-19 on pre-service teachers at the community college level.

The grant, which is part of AERA’s Education Research Service Project Special Call focusing on the COVID-19 and systemic racism pandemics, will allow Stark to collect survey and interview data from undergraduate students at Urban College of Boston. “The goal of this project is to support the retention of early childhood pre-service teachers of color and bilingual teachers,” she says.

Following data collection and a series of focus groups to identify barriers caused by both public health crises, Stark will pilot a responsive, multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) to address these barriers via a centralized, virtual referral system. The AERA grant will also fund three student research assistant positions for bilingual students of color pursuing a career in early childhood education.

At BU Wheelock, Stark’s research explores teachers’ affective experiences and working conditions. She is an adjunct instructor at Urban College of Boston and previously worked as a special education teacher in Chicago Public Schools.

“Kristabel has remained deeply committed to working directly in the community,” says Nathan Jones, Stark’s advisor. “This project is a perfect example of her commitment, and the special education faculty couldn’t be more proud of her.”