Research Expertise and Interest

educational leadership, policy analysis, critical theory, educational equity

Research Description

Michelle D. Young, PhD, is dean and professor of Berkeley School of Education. 

A scholar of educational policy and leadership, Young focuses on how university programs, educational policies and school leaders can support equitable and quality experiences for all students and adults who learn and work in schools. Young has led multiple research projects focused on leadership development, educational policies, and educational policy actors. She has co-edited or co-authored 11 books and has published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. Her most recent books are "Redesigning educational leadership preparation for equity: Strategies for innovation and improvement" and “Handbook of Critical Education Research: Qualitative, Quantitative and Emerging Approaches".

Among her awards and honors are the William J. Davis Award for most outstanding article; an Emerald Literati Award for Excellence; and the prestigious Edwin M. Bridges Award for her contributions to research on the preparation of education leaders, and the AERA Research Excellence Award in Organizational Leadership and Administration. 

Young earned her PhD in educational policy, planning and leadership from the University of Texas at Austin; her master of education in special education with an emphasis on learning disabilities and second language learners from the University of Texas at Austin; and her bachelor of arts in sociology and political science from Southwestern University.