Matthew Shirrell

Matthew Shirrell

Dr. Matthew Shirrell's research explores the relationships between policy, the social and organizational characteristics of schools and school systems, and learning, improvement, and teacher retention. In recent research, he has concluded that diversifying the teacher workforce could lead to significant decreases in exclusionary discipline in urban districts, as well as the importance of learning more about the effectiveness of efforts to hire and retain teachers of color. His research allso shows the importance of investigating why Black, Latino and Asian American students are less likely to be suspended from school when they are taught by teachers who share their racial and ethnic backgrounds. Dr. Shirrell’s work has also examined the impacts of federal, state, and local policies on school working conditions and the retention of teachers and school leaders.