Education PhD Student Receives AERA Grant For Policy Research
Jaclyn Bovee, a student pursuing the Education PhD in Language, Equity, and Educational Policy, has been awarded the Critical Language Education Seed Research Grant from the American Educational Research Association’s Second Language Research Special Interest Group. Bovee has also been named a National Academy of Education/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship semi-finalist.
Bovee studies the development, implementation, and impact of an educational policy unique to Oregon, Access to Linguistic Inclusion (ALI). ALI changes graduation requirements for multilingual English learners, allowing students to earn credits in non-English languages. Through analyzing policy documents and studying four Oregon high schools, Bovee’s research seeks to understand how ALI moves through the education system, from the state to students, and how it may reinforce or challenge systemic injustices.
As a part of the Education PhD program, Bovee works closely with her advisor Dr. Amanda Kibler to explore professional development opportunities, connect with other scholars, and develop her research interests. Bovee says, “My advisor has been integral to my growth as a scholar and researcher. Working with Dr. Kibler on various projects...has provided me with invaluable experience and learning opportunities.”
Bovee has also served as a Graduate Research Assistant on her mentor's research projects. Kibler shares, “Through that work, I have seen countless examples of the ways in which Jaclyn is humble and gracious, intellectually curious, hard-working, and deeply committed to welfare of multilingual immigrant students and the work of teachers who serve them.”
The AERA grant is critical to Bovee's work, allowing her to continue working with the Portland-based Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization to provide professional translation and interpretation services to research participants, who may use a variety of languages.
Bovee’s interest in how policies and practices impact multilingual and immigrant-origin students is informed by her background as a high school English Language Development teacher. She tells us, “I want to be part of transforming our education system to be more welcoming, just, and empowering for these youth.”
