Dr. Earl J. Edwards is an educator, researcher, and human rights advocate. His scholarship and practice focus on the impact of structural racism on public institutions in the United States and training leaders and policymakers to create systems to address racial inequities proactively. He is particularly interested in exploring how educational systems can become intentional community hubs for mitigating structural barriers like poverty and homelessness. Dr. Edwards is the co-author of the practitioner-focused book; All Students Must Thrive: Transforming Schools to Combat Toxic Stressor and Cultivate Critical Wellness, and he has published in Urban Education, The Journal of Children and Poverty, Phi Delta Kappan, among other academic journals.
Dr. Edwards started his career as a classroom teacher and has taught in Providence, Rhode Island; Los Angeles, California; and Compton, California. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Boston College, a master’s degree in school leadership from Teachers College, Columbia, and a doctoral degree in education from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Dr. Edwards is currently an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership at Boston College Lynch School of Education Human Development. 
 

Education

PhD in Education
University of California, Los Angeles
MAT in Public School Leadership
Teachers College, Columbia University 
BA in Sociology
Boston College 

Academic Professional Experience

Interests and Expertise: Education policy, homeless policy, social justice youth development, youth experiencing homelessness, adolescent mental health, Black and Brown educational and well-being outcomes, qualitative research, community-university partnerships, urban education, housing justice.
Assistant Professor, Boston College
Lynch School of Education and Human Development
2022 – Present
Graduate Researcher, Black Male Institute
University of California, Los Angeles
2016 – 2022
Graduate Researcher, Center for the Transformation of Schools
University of California, Los Angeles
2016 – 2022
Research Fellow, California Policy Lab
University of California, Los Angeles
2020 – 2021

K-12 Professional Experience

Oversaw network-wide afterschool programing for 3,500 students across 8 school sites. Managed a $250,000 operational budget and coordinated 50+ expanded learning opportunities. Tracked implementation of $600,000 worth of state level grants through reviewing and monitoring submission of semiannual, final, and financial reports. Designed and executed professional development sessions addressing expanded learning for over 400 faculty members, administrators, and after-school providers
Designed engaging Common Core State Standard-aligned lessons and taught English Language Arts at Willowbrook Middle School.
Taught Introduction to Literature to special education inclusion classes of 54 ninth graders. Provided academic coaching and support to teachers via classroom observations, bi-monthly department meetings, and professional development sessions. Designed and executed professional development sessions on district test implementation, reading comprehension, and school wide data analysis for 67 faculty members. Communicated and collaborated with teachers, building administrators, and district administrators for all matters dealing with English Language Arts at Providence Career and Technical Academy
Taught reading and writing intervention courses to two self-contained classes of 16 students with various learning disabilities and behavioral problems. Taught Ancient World History, Modern World History, and United States History to three self-contained classes of 16 students with various learning disabilities and behavioral problems. Built a rigorous Ancient World History, Modern World History, and United States History curriculum aligned with local and Common Core Standards. Created and monitored Individualized Educational Programs (IEPs) for a caseload of twelve students. Compiled, organized, and analyzed data to drive daily classroom instruction

Publications

Featured Publications

All Students Must Thrive: Transforming Schools to Combat Toxic Stressors and Cultivate Critical Wellness
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Who are the Homeless? Centering anti-Black racism and the consequences of colorblind homeless policies
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Young, black, successful, and homelessness: Examining the unique challenges of black students who experienced homelessness.
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  1. Avile, A & Edwards, E.J. (2022). Transient zip codes: Utilizing counternarratives to examine the compounded effects of structural racism and housing insecurity. Journal of Trauma Studies in Education. https://doi.org/10.32674/jtse.v1i3.5048
  2. Edwards, E.J. (2021). Who are the Homeless? Centering anti-Black racism and the consequences of colorblind homeless policies. MDPI Social Sciences. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/10/9/340
  3. Edwards, E.J. (2020). Listening to formerly homeless youth. Phi Delta Kappanhttps://doi.org/10.1177/0031721720978069
  4. Edwards, E.J. (2020). Young, black, successful, and homelessness: Examining the unique challenges of black students who experienced homelessness. Children and Poverty. https://doi.org/10.1080/10796126.2020.1776688
  5. Edwards, E. J. (2019). Hidden success: Learning from the counternarratives of high school graduates impacted by student homelessness. Urban Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085919877928
  6. Edwards, E.J. (2010). Where alienation happens: The isolation of Black students within predominately white institution. SocialEyes. Boston College. Chestnut Hill, MA.
  1. Howard, T. C., Camangian, P., Edwards, E. J., Howard, M., Minkoff, A. C., Orange, T., & Watson, K. T. (2019). All Students Must Thrive: Transforming Schools to Combat Toxic Stressors and Cultivate Critical Wellness. International Center for Leadership in Education
  1. Edwards, E.J., & Edwards, E.C. (Forthcoming). The Black Smugglers of Higher Education: How Black students, scholars, and faculty members disrupt schooling institutions to educate Black youth. In K. Watson, N. Cisneros, L. Pérez Huber, & V. Vélez (Eds.), Like a Path in Tall Grasses: A Handbook of Race and Refusal in Higher Education. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing
  2. Morton, M., Edwards, E.J., & Kull, M. (2022). Students Experiencing Homelessness: A National Crisis. In J. Bishop (Ed.), Beyond Schools: The Urgency of Reinventing Education Policy in America. New York, NY: Teachers College Press
  3. Edwards, E.J., & Noguera, P. A. (2022). Seeing our most vulnerable homeless students: The impact of structural racism on the education of black homeless youth in the United States. In R. Ray & H. Mahmoudi (Eds.), Systemic Racism in America: Sociological Theory, Education, Inequity, and Social Change. Berkeley, CA: UC Press
  1. Edwards, E.J., Hamlin, M., Jahn-Verri, F. Montano, J. & Martinez D.N. (2020). Reparative Records. In A. Roy, R. Rolnik, T. Graziani, & H. Malson (Eds.), Methodologies for housing justice resource guide. Online: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/41g6f5cj
  1. Edwards, E.J., Edwards, E.C., Thompson, D., Stevens, R., Johnson, S. (2021). Reassessing the Homeless Initiative Strategies: Findings from CEO-HI Countywide Community Engagement Sessions. Chief Executive Office of Los Angeles County. Los Angeles, CA.
  2. Mathews, K., Leger, M.L., Edwards, E.J., Mauerman, C., Graham, F. (2021). Prioritizing Educator Diversity with New State and Federal Funding. Center for the Transformation of Schools, School of Education & Information Studies, University of California, Los Angeles. Online: https://tinyurl.com/PrioritizingEducator
  3. Milburn, N., Edwards, E.J., Obermark, D. (2021). Inequity in the Permanent Supportive Housing System in Los Angeles: Scale, Scope and Reasons for Black Residents’ Returns to Homelessness. California Policy Lab, University of California, Los Angeles. Online: https://tinyurl.com/CPLBlackRetention
  4. Media coverage: Will worker shortage disrupt California homeless strategy?
    1. Media coverage: One man’s lonely journey through California’s plan to end homelessness Sacramento, CA. Online: https://tinyurl.com/bm3v7hdx
  5. Edwards, E.J. (2021). “Partnering with Black Community Based Organizations to Address Student Homelessness.” SchoolHouse Connections. Washington, DC. Online: https://schoolhouseconnection.org/partnering-with-black-cbos-to-address-student-homelessness/
    1. Media coverage: McDonald, D. (2021, September 21). “New Article by UCLA Researcher Earl J. Edwards Examines Impact of Anti-Black Racism on Black Homelessness.” UCLA School of Education. Los Angeles, CA. Online: https://seis.ucla.edu/news/new-article-by-ucla-researcher-earl-j.-edwards-examines
  6. Edwards, E.J., Edwards, E.C., & Howard, T.C. (2021). “The unseen & unsupported students in charter schools: analysis of charter school’s student homeless populations in Los Angeles County.” UCLA Black Male Institute. Los Angeles, CA. Online: https://blackmaleinstitute.org/unseen-and-unsupported/
    1. Media coverage: UCLA Education and Information Studies. (2021, August 25). “The unseen & unsupported in charter schools.” Magazine of the School of Education and Information Studies. Los Angeles, CA. Online: https://issuu.com/uclaedis/docs/ed_ismag-summer21-final-pgs/s/13203150
    2. Media coverage: Jones, C. (2021, February 24). “Homeless students in L.A. charter schools struggle more than peers at traditional schools study finds.” Online: https://edsource.org/2021/homeless-students-in-l-a-charter-schools-struggle-more-than-peers-at-traditional-schools-study-finds/649815
    3. Media coverage: McDonald, D. (2021, February 02). “Unseen and Unsupported: UCLA’s Black Male Institute Looks at Experiences of Student Homelessness in LA County Charter Schools.” UCLA Ampersand. Online: https://ampersand.gseis.ucla.edu/unseen-and-unsupported-uclas-black-male-institute-looks-at-experiences-of-homeless-students-in-la-county-charter-schools/
  7. Edwards, E.C., Edwards, E.J., & Howard, T.C. (2020). “Keeping students safe in Los Angeles: An analysis of LAUSD school incident reports & funding.” UCLA Black Male Institute. Los Angeles, CA. Online: http://blackmaleinstitute.org/keeping-students-safe-in-los-angeles/
    1. Media coverage: McDonald, D. (2020, June 23). “Black Male Institute: New Research Brief on Keeping Students Safe in LA Schools.” UCLA Ampersand. Online: https://ampersand.gseis.ucla.edu/black-male-institute-new-research-brief-on-keeping-students-safe-in-la-schools/
    2. Media coverage: Blume, H. and Sonali, K. (2020, June 23). “LAUSD board to decide whether to defund school police”. Los Angeles Times. Online: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-06-23/lausd-board-to-decide-whether-to-defund-school-police
  8. Edwards, E.C., Edwards, E.J. (2020). “Raising Afro-Latino children in the era of COVID and Black Lives Matter.” American Psychology Association. https://successfulblackparenting.com/2020/08/17/vidas-negras-raising-afro-latino-children-in-the-era-of-covid-black-lives-matter/
  9. Edwards, E.J., & Howard, T.C. (2018). Young black and houseless: Analysis of LA County Black homeless student population. Black Male Institute. Los Angeles, CA. Online: http://blackmaleinstitute.org/young-black-houseless/
    1. Media coverage: Palmer, P. (2020, August 5). Solutions: Resources available to help young students experiencing homelessness. KABC 7 TV. Online: https://abc7.com/abc7-solutions-school-homeless-resources/6355739/
    2. Media coverage: McDonald, D. (2019, January 30). Black students overrepresented among LA County homeless. Sudikoff Institute Public Forum. Online: https://sudikoff.gseis.ucla.edu/black-studentsoverrepresented-among-la-county-homeless/
    3. Media coverage: 89.3 KPCC Take Two (2019, January 30). Black Homeless Youth. Southern California Nation Public Radio. https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2019/01/30/19382/ 
  10. Edwards, E.J. (2017). “Advice from a formerly homeless youth.” Education Week. Online:https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/opinion-advice-from-a-formerly-homeless-youth/2017/04
    1. Media coverage: Leveen, L. (2018, June 21). Improving pathways for homeless children and youth. Online: https://issuu.com/uclaedis/docs/ed_ismag-spg18-final

Presentations and Conference

Academic Audiences

  1. Aviles, A & Edwards, E.J. (2023). Transient zip codes: Utilizing counternarratives to examine the compounded effects of structural racism and housing insecurity. Presented at the annual conference of American Education Research Association. Chicago, IL.
  2. Aviles, A & Edwards, E.J. (2023). Implementing Supports for Students Experiencing Homelessness in Urban Cities. Presented at the annual conference of American Education Research Association. Chicago, IL.
  3. Morton, M., Edwards, E.J., & Kull, M. (2022). Students experiencing homelessness: A national crisis. Presented at the annual conference of American Education Research Association. San Diego, CA.
  4. Edwards, E.C., Edwards, E.J., Allen T. (2022). Race, police, & School Safety: A case study exploring the impact of police presence on school safety and Black youth. Presented at the annual conference of American Education Research Association. San Diego, CA.
  1. Edwards, E.J. (2022). Your network is your net worth: Exploring the cultural wealth that is keeping Black students experiencing homelessness in school. Presented at the annual conference of American Education Research Association. San Diego, CA. 
  1. Edwards, E.J., Obermark, D., Milburn, N. (2021). The (Im)permanence of Supportive Housing: Black Residents Experiences and Outcomes in Permanent Supportive Housing in Los Angeles. Accepted at the annual conference of American Public Policy Analysis and Management. Austin, Texas.
  1. Edwards, E.J., Obermark, D., Milburn, N. (2021). Pushed Out: Analyzing Black Residents’ Premature Exits from Permanent Supportive Housing. Presented at the Biennial Conference for The Society for Community Research and Action. Online.
  2. Edwards, E.J. (2020). It takes a village: Tapping into the community cultural wealth for students experiencing homelessness. Presented at the annual conference of American Education Research Association. San Francisco, CA.
  3. Aviles, A., Baszile, D.T. (2020) Got no place to call home: Toward a curriculum of housing instability. Edwards, E.J. invited as a panelist for AERA Curriculum Studies Vice Presidential Panel Session at the annual conference of American Education Research Association. San Francisco, CA.
  4. Edwards, E.J. (2019). Race, education, and homelessness: Analyzing the blind spot of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act using a critical race lens. Presented at the annual conference of American Public Policy Analysis and Management. Denver, Colorado.
  5. Edwards, E.J. (2019). Helping the unseen: Supporting vulnerable student populations Experiencing Homelessness. Presented at the annual conference of American Education Research Association. Toronto, Canada.
  6. Edwards, E.J. (2019). Who are the homeless? The consequences of a dual public identity. Presented at the annual conference of Critical Race Education Studies Association. Los Angeles, CA
  1. Lecturer. It takes us all: It Takes Us All: Analyzing School Districts’ Comprehensive Approaches to Supporting Students Impacted by Homelessness. Course name: Race and Education. Presented at UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. Undergraduate course. November, 2021. Professor of record: Tyrone C. Howard, Ph.D.
  2. Lecturer. Colorblindness and the Implementation of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance. Course Name: Community Lawyering in Education Clinic. Presented at UCLA School of Law. Graduate Course. January, 2021. Professor of record: Fanna Gamal, Esq.
  3. Lecturer. Race, Homelessness, and Libraries. Course name: Youth and Children Homelessness: The Role of Libraries. Presented at University of Washington Information School. Graduate Course.  January, 2021. Professor of record: Julie Winkelstein, Ph.D.  and Vikki Terrile, MSLS
  4. Lecturer. Teachers Role in Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness: Five Principles for Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness. Course name: Race and Education. Presented at UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. Graduate course. October, 2020. Professor of record: Tyrone C. Howard, Ph.D.  
  5. Lecturer. Homeless education policy: How are schools serving students experiencing homelessness. Course Name: Applied Cognitive Development. Presented at CSUN College of Health and Human Development. Undergraduate course. October, 2020. Professor of record: Elianny C. Edwards, MAED
  6. Lecturer. Homeless education policy: How are schools serving students experiencing homelessness. Course name: Race and Education. Presented at UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. Undergraduate course. April, 2020. Professor of record: Tyrone C. Howard, Ph.D.
  7. Lecturer. An intro to homelessness policies in LA County. Course name: Project Literacy. Presented UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. Undergraduate Course. February, 2020. Professor of record: Emma Hipolito, Ph.D.
  8. Lecturer. Homeless education policy: A critical review of policies impacting students experiencing homelessness. Course name: Policy analysis and real politics of education. Presented at UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. May, 2019. Professor of record: Pedro Noguera, Ph.D.
  9. Lecturer. Race, homelessness, and education policy: A critical review of McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. Course name: Homeless education policy. Presented at University of Delaware College of Education and Human Development. Undergraduate Course. April, 2019. Professor of record: Ann Aviles, Ph.D.
  10. Lecturer. Structural racism and homelessness. Course name: Urban homeless policy. Presented at UCLA Luskin School of Public Policy. Undergraduate course. March, 2019. Professor of record: Bill Parent, Ed.D.
  11. Lecturer. Homeless, education, and race: Providing educational equity to youth experiencing homelessness. Course name: Computing and socioeconomic mobility. Presented at Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy. November, 2018. Professor of record: Marcelo Worsley, Ph.D.
  12. Lecturer. Who are the homeless? The political consequences of a colorblind public identity for the homeless. Course name: Educational innovations: Challenges and effects. Presented at Occidental College. Los Angeles, CA. March, 2018. Professor of record: Kenjus Watson, Ph.D.

Practioner Audiences

Keynote. Moving towards equity: Closing the opportunity gap through expanded learning. Presented at Bakersfield CA Expanded Learning Summit. Hosted by California Department of Education. September, 2019.
Keynote. Shifting the paradigm: A counter narrative of youth experiencing homelessness. Presented at The Association of Black Social Workers of Greater Los Angeles 1st Annual Black Professionals Breakfast Summit. Hosted by The Association of Black Social Workers of Greater Los Angeles. February, 2019.
Keynote. The achievement gap and the youth affected. Presented at State of Public School Education. Brown University. Hosted by Teacher for America Rhode Island. Providence, Rhode Island. November, 2012.
  1. Panelist. Black students experiencing homelessness in LA County: Planning for racial equity. Webinar. Hosted by Schoolhouse Connections. May 2021.
  2. Panelist. A conversation about back to school: Increasing successful educational outcomes for young people with housing insecurities. Webinar. Hosted by Sanctuary of Hope TAY Homeless Outreach Center. September 2020.
  3. Panelist. A conversation about back to school: Increasing successful educational outcomes for young people with housing insecurities. Webinar. Hosted by Sanctuary of Hope TAY Homeless Outreach Center. September 2020.
  4. Panelist. Homelessness in context: Racism, poverty, and housing scarcity. Presented at Los Angeles County 3rd Annual Homeless Initiatives Conference. Hosted by Los Angeles County Chief Executive Office. Los Angeles, CA. February, 2019.
  5. Panelist. Color me trauma: Addressing trauma in the Black community. Presented by Community Session on Mental Health. Hosted by the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health Services. Los Angeles, CA. November, 2018.
  6. Panelist. A Narrative of Ending Black Homelessness. Hosted by Sanctuary of Hope TAY Homeless Outreach Center m. Los Angeles, CA. February, 2018.
  7. Panelist. Forum: How to Raise Successful Black Males. Hosted by Grace United Methodist Church Men’s Ministry Forum. Los Angeles, CA. October, 2017.
  1. Presenter. Black Resident Experiences and Outcomes in Permanent Supportive Housing Policy Report. LA County Department of Mental Health and Health Services Housing for Health Meeting. Hosted by Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. Webinar. February, 2021.
  2. Presenter. Addressing structural racism in schools. UCLA Pritzker Center for Strengthening Children and Families Training Series. Hosted by Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health. Webinar. April, 2021.
  3. Presenter. Addressing structural racism in schools. UCLA Pritzker Center for Strengthening Children and Families Training Series. Hosted by Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health. Webinar. April, 2021.
  4. Presenter. Seeing the village: Identifying the support systems helping Black students who experience homeless graduate. HPRI virtual research symposium: Student homelessness in Los Angeles. Hosted by USC Homeless Policy and Research Institute. Webinar. September 2020.
  5. Presenter. Structural racism, implicit bias, and homelessness: Examining racism’s role in California’s homeless crisis. Webinar. Hosted by California Department of Social Services. December, 2019.
  6. Presenter. The dual public identity of the homeless: Reframing the homeless narrative with a racial lens. Presented at the National Alliance for Ending Homelessness Annual Conference. Hosted by the National Alliance for Ending Homelessness. Washington, DC. July, 2019.
  7. Presenter. Race, gender, and homelessness: Exploring the Black male homeless experience through their words. Presented at the National Alliance for Ending Homelessness Annual Conference. Hosted by the National Alliance for Ending Homelessness. Washington, DC. July, 2019.
  8. Presenter. Young, black, and homeless in LA County: The academic outcomes of Black students experiencing homelessness in LA County. Presented at the Housing Rights Center’s 20th Annual Housing Rights Summit. Hosted by Los Angeles Housing Rights Center. Los Angeles, CA. April, 2019.
  9. Presenter. Homelessness and racial disparities III: Addressing the effects of implicit bias in housing and service provisions. Presented at the National Alliance for Ending Homelessness Annual Conference. Hosted by the National Alliance for Ending Homelessness. Washington, DC. July, 2018.
  10. Presenter. Unlocking greatness: Shifting our perception of mentoring Black and Latino boys. Presented at BOOST Collaborative for Expanded Learning Opportunities Annual Conference. Hosted by BOOST Collaborative. Palms Springs, CA. April, 2017.
  11. Presenter. Creating resiliency: moving past the deficit perspectives when supporting homeless youth. Presented at Los Angeles County Forum on Trauma as Public Health Issue. Hosted by Los Angeles County Empowerment Congress. Carson, CA. November, 2017.
  12. Presenter. Moving equity for Homeless Students: Pedagogical Strategies to Improve Educational Outcomes for Youth Experiencing Homelessness. Presented at Illuminate Equity Symposium. Hosted by San Bernardino Unified School District. San Bernardino, CA. November, 2017.
Moderator. Supporting young Black men in crisis. Webinar. Hosted by Sanctuary of Hope TAY Homeless Outreach Center. September 2020.
Moderator. Policy and integrated systems approaches to homelessness prevention. Moderated at Los Angeles County 4th Annual Homeless Initiatives Conference. Hosted by Los Angeles County Chief Executive Office. Los Angeles, CA. March, 2020.

Media

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Contact & Social Media

Earl.Edwards@bc.edu | Academic Related
Earl.Edwards@everexcel.org | Consulting Related 
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