Alexandra Freidus

Alexandra Freidus is an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Connecticut's Neag School of Education. Her research examines racism, social inequality, and educational policy using sociocultural and critical race frameworks. She investigates how educators, policies, students, and families perpetuate or disrupt racial inequality in public schools through ethnographic methods including participant-observation, interviews, and archival analysis.

Education:

• Ph.D., Urban Education, New York University, 2018
• MA, Education, Mills College, 2007
• BA, History, Brown University, 1998

Her research focuses on school diversity policies in gentrifying neighborhoods, youth activism for integration, and culturally responsive curriculum development. She currently leads research-practice partnerships in New York City and Winston-Salem exploring community dialogues as tools for sustainable school integration.

Publications consistently analyze racial equity in urban education systems, with recent works examining pandemic policy implementation, youth-led integration movements, and the impact of gentrification on school demographics. Her forthcoming book (2025) centers student experiences in New York City's diversity initiatives.

Grants and awards:

• Spencer Foundation Research Grant
• American Institutes for Research Grant
• National Academy of Education/Spencer Fellowship
• Concha Delgado Gaitán Presidential Fellow

She teaches graduate courses in educational policy and qualitative research methods, drawing on 15+ years of prior K-12 teaching and school reform experience in San Francisco and New York.