Rebecca A. Cruz is an assistant professor in the School of Education. Her research interests include examining disproportionality in special education and discipline and in redefining the concept of inclusion from a perspective that considers disability, not as an individual trait but as a product of political, social, and historical practices.
Cruz’s work uses hierarchical linear and logistic models to understand contextual and structural mechanisms that contribute to inequities across time. She teaches students preparing to become special education teachers, including curriculum and instruction that provides creative learning experiences to diverse student populations. Prior to beginning her doctoral studies, Cruz worked in middle and high school settings to develop co-teaching and inclusion models.
Keywords: Critical quantitative and mixed methodologies; QuantCrit; disproportionality; exclusionary discipline; agency-structure.
