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Ayana Bass

Doctoral Student

Ayana Bass is a doctoral student at BU Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. Her research interests and area of expertise are related to the area of special education, more specifically, the nuances of adult learners in “traditional” teacher preparation programming, teacher diversity, certification pathways, and education policy.

As a McNair Scholar in her undergraduate program at Rhode Island College, Ayana was able to conduct research that explored the lack of diversity in the teacher (and teacher candidate) pool, as well as alternative pathways to certification. While completing her master’s degree in urban education policy at Brown University, she was awarded a fellowship to support her studies and research where she specifically examined her previous research through a policy lens.

Ayana is a member of the RI CEEDAR State Leadership Team, Steering Committee, and Rhode Island Blueprint Goal 3 Work Group, which focuses on establishing organizational cultures, identifying protocols, and providing shared learning opportunities to ensure that Rhode Island approaches education work with an explicit focus on equity and access.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

MA, Urban Education Policy, Brown University

BS, Elementary Special Education, Rhode Island College

AA, General Studies, Community College of Rhode Island

Bass, A. (March 2021). Where is the Rhode Island pipeline? An exploration of interest and barriers for paraprofessionals in a large, urban district. Data blitz session at the Annual Convention of the Council for Exceptional Children, Baltimore, MD.

Bass, A. (April 2021). Where is the pipeline? An exploration of interest and barriers for paraprofessionals in a large, urban school district. Roundtable session at the New England Educational Research Organization, Portsmouth, NH.

Bass, A. (April 2021). Where is the pipeline? An exploration of interest and barriers for paraprofessionals in a large, urban school district. Poster Session. National Council for Undergraduate Research, Virtual Conference.