Phelton Moss

Phelton Moss is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership at Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Education. He holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of Mississippi and previously served as Senior Policy Adviser to Congresswoman Frederica Wilson and NAACP Education Policy Fellow.

His research addresses critical education policy issues including teacher diversity initiatives, rural school turnaround strategies, and equitable literacy instruction through the science of reading framework. Moss developed Mississippi's first state-run teacher residency program to address teacher shortages and increase workforce diversity.

Recent publications examine Black male faculty experiences in higher education, leadership challenges in underperforming rural schools, and policy analysis of career-technical education. His work appears in both academic journals and policy outlets like Education Week and The Hill.

Moss maintains an active policy engagement practice through legislative advocacy, including development of the American Teacher Act to increase teacher salaries. He consults with school districts on educator recruitment pipelines and serves as affiliate faculty at the Wilder School of Government.