Luis A. Rodriguez
Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Administration, Leadership, and Technology
Luis A. Rodriguez is Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at NYU, holding a primary appointment in the Department of Administration, Leadership, and Technology, with a secondary courtesy appointment in the Department of Applied Statistics, Social Sciences, and Humanities. Dr. Rodriguez's research focuses on the intersections of educator quality, retention, and diversity; school discipline; and school climate and working conditions, and seeks to identify and inform policies, programs, and practices capable of fostering more equitable and supportive learning and working environments for students and educators alike. More specifically, his research applies interdisciplinary perspectives to examine how school organizational conditions, education reform, and broader socio-political factors affect the P-12 education workforce and its ability to generate positive outcomes for students, particularly concerning students' access to high-quality teaching as well as their exposure to exclusionary school discipline.
In his previous and ongoing research projects, Dr. Rodriguez investigates factors affecting the recruitment and retention of educators of color as well as the influence of tenure, evaluation, and other human capital management reforms on educator turnover and performance. Moreover, his research explores the complex interplay of factors related to schools, families, and neighborhoods that collectively influence school discipline practices and outcomes, highlighting the pivotal role of social-ecological systems in shaping the overall educational landscape for students and schools.
Dr. Rodriguez has received national recognition and support for his research, including awards and grants from prominent organizations such as the National Academy of Education, the Spencer Foundation, the William T. Grant Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Albert Shanker Institute, and the Association for Education Finance and Policy. In addition, he and his work have been cited by notable news outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Forbes and education-focused platforms such as Education Week, Chalkbeat, and Inside HigherEd.
Dr. Rodriguez is currently a Research Affiliate with the Research Alliance for New York City Schools (RANYCS), the Institute for Human Development and Social Change (IHDSC), and the NYU Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools. Additionally, he serves as an editorial board member for Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis (EEPA) and Education Finance and Policy (EFP). He received his doctorate in K-12 Education Leadership and Policy Studies with a specialization in Quantitative Methods from Vanderbilt University, and holds a bachelor’s in Economics from Swarthmore College.
Publications