Kamilah B. Legette
Assistant Professor
What I do
I am an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Denver, conducting research, teaching, student mentoring, and university service.
Professional Biography
Dr. Legette is an assistant professor in the Psychology Department and director of the Reducing Inequities in Student Education (R.I.S.E.) Lab. Her interdisciplinary research investigates ways individual and institutional racial biases impact youth academic performance and social-emotional and identity development. The goal of this work is to inform effective interventions, school policy changes, and teacher preparation programs to optimize healthy development in racially minoritized youth.
Degree(s)
- BA, Psychology, Spelman College
- MA, Counselor Education , UNC Charlotte
- Ph.D., Human Development and Family Studies, UNC Greensboro
Research
The primary goal of my research is to reduce schooling inequities that negatively impact youth academic, social, and emotional development and perpetuate racial inequity. My research takes multiple approaches toward this goal, including summarizing existing research on this topic, conducting mixed method, experimental, observational, and longitudinal studies.
I am director of the Reducing Inequities in Student Education (R.I.S.E.) lab. The R.I.S.E. lab conducts research on the following topics:
1. Elucidating mechanisms impacting racial disparities in youth school discipline and curricular tracking experiences
2. Understanding the implications of racialized schooling experiences on youth academic, social-emotional, and identity development.
2. Examining protective factors for racially minoritized youth experiencing racial discrimination.
3. Investigating racial beliefs and emotions as mechanisms of racial bias
4. Designing and implementing interventions and teacher professional development programs to promote racial equity in youth schooling experiences.
5. Promoting race consciousness in social-emotional learning and development for teachers and youth.
I am director of the Reducing Inequities in Student Education (R.I.S.E.) lab. The R.I.S.E. lab conducts research on the following topics:
1. Elucidating mechanisms impacting racial disparities in youth school discipline and curricular tracking experiences
2. Understanding the implications of racialized schooling experiences on youth academic, social-emotional, and identity development.
2. Examining protective factors for racially minoritized youth experiencing racial discrimination.
3. Investigating racial beliefs and emotions as mechanisms of racial bias
4. Designing and implementing interventions and teacher professional development programs to promote racial equity in youth schooling experiences.
5. Promoting race consciousness in social-emotional learning and development for teachers and youth.
Areas of Research
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Featured Publications
. (2022). Integrating culturally relevant pedagogy with teacher social and emotional competencies capacities t. In N. Yoder & A. Skoog-Hoffman (Eds.), Motivating the SEL field forward through equity (pp. 99-112). Bingley, UK: Emerald.
. (2020). A Social-Cognitive Perspective of the Consequences of Curricular Tracking on Youth Outcomes. Educational Psychology Review, 32(3).
Graduate Mentorship
Dr. Legette will be reviewing applications for fall 2023 admission.
