Rebecca Callahan

Dr. Rebecca Callahan is a Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Vermont's College of Education and Social Services, where she also coordinates the Educational Leadership and Policy Studies doctoral and master's programs. Her work focuses on immigrant-origin and language minority adolescents' academic and civic trajectories, particularly regarding educational policy intersections with language and immigration policies.

Education:

• Ph.D. and M.A. in Education, University of California, Davis
• Bilingual Cross-Cultural K-16 Teacher Certification, University of California, San Diego
• B.A. in Anthropology, University of California, San Diego

Research Interests: Dr. Callahan investigates how school contexts, pedagogical practices, and policies influence immigrant youth's academic success and civic engagement. Current projects include an NSF-funded engineering education initiative for bilingual elementary students (DTEEL) and studies on ESL placement effects, bilingualism's role in college access, and political participation pathways for immigrant young adults.

Recent Trends in Publications: Her recent work emphasizes equity in STEM pathways, postsecondary trajectories for 'ever-English learners,' and policy analysis linking educational and immigration frameworks. Research highlights include advanced math course-taking impacts on college enrollment and the civic development of Latiné youth amid anti-immigrant rhetoric.

Awards:

• 2024 Outstanding Reviewer, Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis
• 2020 Mid-Career Researcher Award, AERA Second Language SIG
• 2014 Reviewer Award, American Educational Research Journal

Grants & Leadership: Leads NSF-DRK-12 project DTEEL (2015-2024), emphasizing engineering education for English learners. Her policy work includes analyzing ESSA implementation and state-level equity strategies for EL students. Serves as a policy advisor for organizations addressing immigrant youth education challenges.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with UVM's Collaborative Center on Disability and Community Inclusion and the Child Welfare Training Partnership. Active in interdisciplinary teams studying bilingual education effectiveness and civic engagement metrics for marginalized youth.