WASHINGTON – Howard University School of Education assistant professor Kathryn Wiley, Ph.D., has been awarded a 2025 Congressional Fellowship by the American Educational Research Association (AERA). As a fellow, Wiley will spend a year working as staff for a member of Congress or a Congressional committee, using her education research expertise to inform public policy and the legislative process. 

“My goal is to support the development of evidenced, equity-focused policies that expand educational opportunity,” Wiley said, “particularly in the crucial areas of school discipline and climate, school funding, and educator preparation.” 

An expert in these areas, Wiley uses multiple research methods and a historical lens to study education policies in the context of longstanding, racialized inequalities. As an avid public scholar, she is passionate about supporting education leaders, advocates, organizers, and lawmakers in equity-oriented change for racial and social justice in schools and districts. She has worked with youth and community organizers to promote the use of research as part of larger education justice campaigns to end the school-to-prison pipeline. 

Wiley has also worked with state and federal policy coalitions to inform evidenced-based policy language and recommendations on school discipline, climate, and safety, often with a focus on creating, affirming, and sustaining school environments for Black students. Her work has appeared in Educational Administration Quarterly, Race Ethnicity and Education, The Journal of School Leadership, and EdWeek, among others. 

This is the AERA Congressional Fellowship Program’s eighth year. AERA Congressional Fellows benefit from a comprehensive two-week orientation, professional development, and networking opportunities throughout the year administered by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). AERA also provides professional development and networking opportunities targeted specifically to education researchers. 

AERA is one of more than 30 scientific and engineering societies that sponsor congressional fellowships through a program coordinated by the AAAS. AERA also provides additional professional development and networking opportunities targeted specifically to education researchers. 

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