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The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the practices proposed by the contributing authors across multiple disciplines that may help to improve the educational and professional experiences of African Americans in rural spaces. The authors discuss promising practices in secondary and postsecondary education and conclude with critical perspectives from African American educators and educational leaders in rural spaces.

Too often research studies on Black boys emanate from deficit orientations and take a problem-centered approach that overemphasizes stereotypes or pathologizes Black male students, overlooking their aspirations and successes. Utilizing the High School Longitudinal Survey of 2009 (HSLS: 09), we examined the postsecondary goals of rural Black male ninth graders as well as the relationships among their educational aspirations, college knowledge, and support from school counselors using social and aspirational capital situated within the community cultural wealth conceptual framework. We found that the educational aspirations of rural Black male ninth graders are high; however, their knowledge of college falls short of their educational aspirations and their support from teachers and school counselors. We discuss the strengths, attributes, and systems of support that are useful to rural Black male students as they transition through secondary education to post-secondary settings and, based on our findings, call for a paradigmatic shift using family-school-community partnerships.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are laudable objectives, but how do we move beyond a proclamation of value to the gritty work of critique, openness, and action? One practice in institutional improvement is to focus on what can be counted, but cultural changes are more difficult to see. Finding ways to observe and measure what is inherently difficult to quantify includes quantitative, and qualitative data, proxies, and narratives. As beacons of social change, universities have historically been on the leading edge of ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion. In the paper, we use a reflective case study design to challenge myths that protect the status quo and describe data and proxies for baseline diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our case study focuses on how one university uses institutional research and introspection to craft policies and practices along its journey toward a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive campus climate. Keywords: institutional research; institutional data; climate; institutional policy; diversity; equity; inclusion; faculty, In 'An academic Gresham's Law,' historian Henry Wechsler argues that as higher education institutions diversified, 'the arrival of a new constituency on a college campus has rarely been an occasion [...]

The emotional labor of organizing, leading, or participating in campus protests may affect Black students' involvement in social justice activism at rural, predominantly White, higher education institutions. In this study, we examined the experiences and reflections of three Black students who engaged in a Black Lives Matter-inspired protest at a rural, public, historically White regional university in the South. We used a narrative design approach and critical race counter-storytelling methods to present an account of a peaceful protest organized by the students. The counter-stories we present demonstrate both the courage and costs of activism engagement for Black students at a historically White, rural university. We conclude with providing ways in which university personnel and stakeholders in rural communities can stand in solidarity with students to heighten their voices and desires to render societal change. [This article was written with Jayla Cofield, Nicholas Fullenwider, Chloe Pearson, and Amber Sturdivant.]

Educational leaders are faced with multiple ethical decisions every day. This article presents the Values-Issue-Action (VIA) Model as a tool for developing ethical decisions in K-12 schools. The model is presented with three scenarios from K-12 education to practice using the model into practice. The model can be used by current school leaders and those in higher education programs developing future K-12 leaders. The model can also be used in school and district professional development to have leaders examine ethical dilemmas they face daily.

National studies indicate that units and level of rigor in mathematics coursework are the strongest predictors of college enrollment. However, for young Black women there are often structural barriers impeding access to rigorous mathematics coursework, potentially impinging on postsecondary enrollment. In the present study the authors analyze the relationship between math self-efficacy and student propensity to enroll in any postsecondary institution as well as the relationship between math self-efficacy and the propensity enroll in four-year postsecondary institutions for Black women high school students. To do so, the authors use the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Educational Longitudinal Survey of 2002 and find that for young Black women students, having a higher math self-efficacy is positively associated with enrollment in a four-year institution. Unfortunately, their math self-efficacy erodes over time and lower mathematics self-efficacies are negatively associated with postsecondary enrollment. As students who start in a four-year environment are more likely to complete the baccalaureate degree, encouraging mathematics self-efficacy development is a logical step toward improving Black women's educational attainment.