Biography
Ericka Weathers is an assistant professor in Penn GSE’s Policy, Organizations, Leadership, and Systems division. She studies the causes and consequences of inequality in K–12 education as well as the effects of K–12 policies on student and school outcomes.
Professor Weathers’ work has been funded by the Russell Sage Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Pennsylvania Department of Education. She serves on the editorial board of Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis and co-chairs the Association of Education Finance and Policy’s Scholars of Color Community Group. Professor Weathers was named a 2021 Spencer Foundation/National Academy of Education postdoctoral fellow for her work on racial disparities in special education decision points.
Education
- Ph.D. (Education) Stanford University, 2018
- M.A. (Policy Studies) University of Washington Bothell, 2011
- B.A. (Psychology) Hampton University, 2008
Areas of Expertise
- K-12 education policy
- School segregation
- Truancy laws
- Special education
- K-12 school finance
- School discipline
Academic Programs
Education Policy, M.S.Ed. Education Policy, Ph.D. Mid-Career Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership, Ed.D.Research Interests and Current Projects
Dr. Weathers explores racial and socioeconomic inequality in K–12 education, drawing on sociological and political perspectives to understand how policy and practice shape students’ educational experiences and opportunities. Her scholarly agenda is motivated by an overarching question: How can education and social policies create the conditions for children to thrive in school? Her work focuses on school segregation and educational opportunity; racial disproportionality in special education and decision-making within multi-tiered systems of support; and education policies that contribute to inclusion or exclusion from educational opportunities, including school discipline and truancy.
Dr. Weathers’ work on truancy is supported by the William T Grant Scholars Program.
Publications
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