Sophia Rodriguez is an Associate Professor in Educational Policy Studies and Sociology at New York University in the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. She collaborates across the mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Dr. Rodriguez started her education career as a middle school teacher in New York City Public Schools and is excited to return to NYC and advance educational equity.

 

Dr. Rodriguez's interdisciplinary scholarship, drawing on tools from education and sociology, asks questions about the social and cultural contexts of education policy and practice. Her integrated research agenda addresses issues related to racial equity, urban education and policy, and centralizes minoritized youth voices. Her longitudinal projects utilize mixed-methods and ethnographic designs to investigate how community-school partnerships, teachers, and school-based mental health professionals promote equity and advocate for undocumented, unaccompanied (im)migrant and refugee youth. She also engages in research that builds research-practice-policy partnerships with multiple districts and community-based organizations. Her scholarly work has appeared in Educational Researcher, Sociology of Race & Ethnicity, Teachers College Record and Urban Education. She has also published research and policy briefs or been covered in: The Brookings Institute, Chalkbeat, The Conversation, Education Week, and Washington Post. She is widely sought after for her expertise in immigration and education issues.

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