Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Date

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Leadership & Policy Studies

Committee Chair

Charisse Gulosino

Committee Member

Dustin Hornbeck

Committee Member

Nikki Wright

Abstract

This study addresses a critical gap in educational equity research by examining how neighborhood-level factors intersect to shape access to rigorous academic programming, a key gateway to postsecondary success. Integrating geospatial visualization and hierarchical linear modeling within a critical geography framework, the study investigates how structural inequalities—rooted in race, poverty, and place—influence advanced course-taking opportunities across the Memphis metropolitan region. Data sources included the U.S. Department of Education’s Common Core of Data (CCD) for district-level enrollment and school type, the U.S. Census and American Community Survey (ACS) for demographic and socioeconomic indicators, and the National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS) and Nonprofit Data Collective for geocoded nonprofit organizations. Schools were spatially joined to census tracts to assess how neighborhood context and community resources shape access to advanced coursework. Findings reveal four key patterns: (1) Community-Based Organizational Resources Matter: Higher nonprofit density correlates with increased STEM and AP course offerings, but this relationship weakens when socioeconomic factors are considered, suggesting nonprofits alone cannot offset structural inequities. (2) School Type Drives Disparities: Traditional public schools consistently provide more advanced courses than charter and private schools, highlighting systemic differences in curricular breadth. (3) Neighborhood Educational Attainment Predicts Access: Census-tract–level bachelor’s degree attainment significantly predicts advanced course access, though its effect diminishes once school type is accounted for. (4) Race and Geography Compound Inequity: Neighborhoods with higher percentages of African American residents face persistent disadvantages in access to advanced high school courses. These findings carry important policy implications, suggesting that initiatives promoting private school choice, such as voucher programs, may unintentionally deepen spatial disparities by dispersing resources and widening gaps in access to advanced coursework. Overall, the study underscores the need to conceptualize educational equity through a spatial justice lens, demonstrating that disparities in access to college-preparatory coursework are structurally embedded in the geography of schooling.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to ProQuest/Clarivate.

Notes

Open Access

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