March 2025 Newsletter

How Can Five Pop-Tarts Transform the Math Classroom?

While subjects like language arts and science frequently evolve to meet students’ needs, math instruction has traditionally followed a rigid format: teachers model the problem and students solve for the answer. But does this approach truly support all learners—especially emergent bilingual students?

The School of Education’s iELD/Math Project team is working with teachers to employ Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) in fraction instruction. Their goal is to integrate English language development concepts into math instruction to build students’ competence and confidence in both subjects. And it all starts by asking students to split a Pop-Tart.

Learn more about the iELD/Math Project team’s work to transform math instruction.

Faculty Promotions for Cuellar, Rose and Degand

We are pleased to announce the faculty promotions of Profs. Marcela Cuellar and Heather Rose to full professor and the promotion with tenure of Prof. Darnel Degand to associate professor. Their promotions are effective as of July 1, 2025. Congratulations to Drs. Cuellar, Rose, and Degand!

Research on Efforts to Improve Black Student Outcomes in Higher Education

A new report from Wheelhouse highlights the impact of a 10-day international professional development experience designed to empower faculty and staff to support Black college students in U.S. higher education.

The biennial All-African Diaspora Education Summit (ADES) brought together faculty, administrators, policymakers, and advocates in Ghana to explore how African-centric education can be integrated into American institutions. Participants developed a variety of initiatives to improve Black student experience and success upon returning to their colleges.

How Are Students Faring After High School?

Earning a postsecondary degree can lead to greater economic mobility on both an individual and a collective scale. That’s why the California Education Lab partnered with the College Futures Foundation to establish a baseline knowledge of current degree attainment rates in California. Their research sheds light on potential opportunities for California to increase access to postsecondary education and better serve all learners. Read California Education Lab’s latest research brief to learn more.

Claudia Rodriguez-Mojica Transforms Research Into Action

Prof. Claudia Rodriguez-Mojica was recently elected to the Woodland Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees. As an expert in educational equity, Rodriguez-Mojica hopes to bring academic research and community action together to enact changes that prioritize student well-being. “This is an opportunity to use my background in education research and classroom instruction to work towards improving schooling experiences for Woodland youth at a systems-level,” she said. Read more about Claudia Rodriguez-Mojica’s goals and research.

School of Education Welcomes the Annual WESTOP Student Leadership Conference

The School of Education hosted the Western Association of Educational Opportunity Personnel (WESTOP) Northern California chapter’s annual Student Leadership Conference at the UC Davis campus. Student participants gathered for a day of leadership workshops and team-building activities centered around the Wicked-inspired theme “NextGen Leaders: Defying Gravity.” View the WESTOP Student Leadership Conference photo gallery.

Tell Us What You Think

Take a 3-5 minute survey about the School of Education newsletter, and be entered to win branded merchandise. We look forward to hearing from you!

Take the newsletter survey now.

Watch a Day in the Life of a Credential Student

Credential student Haley shares a day in her life as a science teacher. Visit us on YouTube or Instagram to watch more stories like hers.

ALUMNI NEWS

Alumna Examines Finnish and U.S. Education Systems Through Fulbright Program

Cristina Buss, Cred. ’09, M.A. ’10, was selected for the 2025 Fulbright Leaders for Global Schools Program. Read how she’s applying this experience to her work as a vice principal.

Mary Vixie Sandy, M.A. ’05, received the 2025 AACTE David G. Imig Award for Distinguished Achievement in Teacher Education in recognition of her contributions developing, implementing, and analyzing teacher education policies and her scholarship in the field of educator preparation.

Adaurennaya C. Onyewuenyi, Minor ’11, published Hidden in Blackness: Being Black and Being an Immigrant in U.S. Schools and Colleges, a monograph that examines Black immigrant student experiences in the U.S. education system.

Thea Sweo Alvarado, Ed.D. ’11, has been named interim assistant superintendent/vice president of instruction at College of the Canyons.

STUDENT NEWS

Education minor student Varsha Gaddipati is launching a study on disabled students’ sense of belonging across four UC campuses. Her goal? To understand how disability services can strengthen community and contribute to academic and professional success for disabled students. Read the full story on Varsha Gaddipati and her research.

Other student news: Ed.D. student Anabel Toche was appointed executive dean of student equity and completion at Sierra College.

FEATURED CONFERENCES

Alicia Rusoja was an invited speaker for CSU Chico School of Education’s Antiracism Speaker Series. More than 100 people, including Chico community members and pre- and in-service teachers, attended her presentation “A Communal Pedagogy of Resistance: The Educational Practices of Un/documented Latine/x Immigrant Rights Organizing,” which examined the impact of anti-immigrant legal violence and the grassroots resistance it inspires.

Other recent conference highlights include: Tom Smith and Margarita Jimenez-Silva presented at AACTE…Nicole Sparapani and Caroline Van Zant presented at the Bay Area Autism Consortium’s Annual Research Symposium…Audrey Boochever presented at the California Dual Enrollment Equity Conference. Visit our conference page for a complete roundup of recent research presentations.

PUBLICATIONS

Briceño, A., Rodriguez-Mojica, C., Rutherford-Quach, S., Ruiz, M., Stoehr, K., Cao, Q. (2025). Translanguaging-informed beliefs and practices of Spanish-English middle school bilingual teachers upon completion of an online professional development. Linguistics and Education, 86.

Cunha, J., Miller, T., Austin, M., Daugherty, L., Martorell, P. (2025). A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Corequisite English Developmental Education: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial in Texas Community Colleges. Education Finance and Policy, 1-24. 

Degand, D., Tyson Grier, A. (2025). ‘WAIT! Isn’t cartooning supposed to be fun?!’: Little Barbara Brandon’s earliest lessons. Studies in Comics, 15(1-2). 119-145.

Gee, K.A., Gottfried, M.A., Colby Woods, S. (2024). Entering and Exiting the Foster Care System: Implications for Absenteeism Among Child Welfare Involved Youth. EdWorkingPaper.

Gee, K.A. (2024). Early Childhood Education and Maltreated Children’s Behavioral and Cognitive Outcomes: Quasi-experimental Evidence from the National Survey of Childhood and Adolescent Well-Being II. EdWorkingPaper.  

Rodriguez-Mojica, C., Briceño, A. (2025). (Missed) opportunities to build solidarity: A critical analysis of Spanish-English bilingual children’s books. Bilingual Research Journal, 1–15.