Decoteau J. Irby is an associate professor in the Department of Educational Policy Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he teaches and advises in the College’s Urban Education Leadership program. His academic research explores how equity-focused school leadership improves Black children’s and youth’s educational experiences and outcomes and appears in journals such as Urban Education, International Journal of Multicultural Education, Studies in Educational Evaluation, Educational Administration Quarterly, Equity & Excellence in Education, Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership, Urban Review, and Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk. Outside of his academic life, he enjoys spending time with his children and partner, playing guitar, traveling, and writing songs and short stories.

"Using case-study analysis, Irby analyzes the complex, multi-faceted, contextual elements composing racial equity initiatives at Central Waters High School (CWHS), a large suburban high school. By examining local experiences along with the proposed organization framework, Irby paints a picture of the beautiful messiness that occurs in stubborn change, when one step forward may mean two steps back. Though many examples are situational, readers will take away conceptual strategies to explore in their own contexts." — Choice Magazine "Stuck Improving is an unapologetic critique of the culture of white supremacy informing school organizations and leaders. Irby's powerful positionality discursively shifts the deficit-framing of Black and brown students’ educational experiences." —Teachers College Record

Decoteau J. Irby is an associate professor in the Department of Educational Policy Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he teaches and advises in the College’s Urban Education Leadership program. His academic research explores how equity-focused school leadership improves Black children’s and youth’s educational experiences and outcomes and appears in journals such as Urban Education, International Journal of Multicultural Education, Studies in Educational Evaluation, Educational Administration Quarterly, Equity & Excellence in Education, Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership, Urban Review, and Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk. Outside of his academic life, he enjoys spending time with his children and partner, playing guitar, traveling, and writing songs and short stories.

"Using case-study analysis, Irby analyzes the complex, multi-faceted, contextual elements composing racial equity initiatives at Central Waters High School (CWHS), a large suburban high school. By examining local experiences along with the proposed organization framework, Irby paints a picture of the beautiful messiness that occurs in stubborn change, when one step forward may mean two steps back. Though many examples are situational, readers will take away conceptual strategies to explore in their own contexts." — Choice Magazine "Stuck Improving is an unapologetic critique of the culture of white supremacy informing school organizations and leaders. Irby's powerful positionality discursively shifts the deficit-framing of Black and brown students’ educational experiences." —Teachers College Record

Decoteau J. Irby is an associate professor in the Department of Educational Policy Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he teaches and advises in the College’s Urban Education Leadership program. His academic research explores how equity-focused school leadership improves Black children’s and youth’s educational experiences and outcomes and appears in journals such as Urban Education, International Journal of Multicultural Education, Studies in Educational Evaluation, Educational Administration Quarterly, Equity & Excellence in Education, Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership, Urban Review, and Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk. Outside of his academic life, he enjoys spending time with his children and partner, playing guitar, traveling, and writing songs and short stories.

"Using case-study analysis, Irby analyzes the complex, multi-faceted, contextual elements composing racial equity initiatives at Central Waters High School (CWHS), a large suburban high school. By examining local experiences along with the proposed organization framework, Irby paints a picture of the beautiful messiness that occurs in stubborn change, when one step forward may mean two steps back. Though many examples are situational, readers will take away conceptual strategies to explore in their own contexts." — Choice Magazine "Stuck Improving is an unapologetic critique of the culture of white supremacy informing school organizations and leaders. Irby's powerful positionality discursively shifts the deficit-framing of Black and brown students’ educational experiences." —Teachers College Record