Rachel Durham

Professor

Faculty School of Education School of Education
rdurham@ndm.edu 410-532-5560 Caroline Hall (CHL) 204
Rachel Durham
This profile is currently being updated. Some information may be incomplete.

Biography

Dr. Rachel E. Durham is a Professor of Education at Notre Dame of Maryland University and Senior Research Fellow with the Baltimore Education Research Consortium (BERC), a research-practice partnership with Baltimore City Public Schools. Her areas of expertise include the transition to postsecondary, Community Schools, immigration and education, and research-practice partnerships. She has published research in many peer-reviewed outlets and is past-Secretary and Program Chair for Division H of the American Educational Research Association. Currently, she is co-PI on an IES-funded project investigating career development opportunities in Baltimore City Schools and their impact on postsecondary pathways. She has teaching interests in statistics, quantitative, mixed methods, and education equity and policy.

Education

  • Ph.D. in Sociology and Demography, Pennsylvania State University
  • M.A. in Sociology, Arizona State University
  • B.A. in Sociology, University of Mississippi

Research

Interests

  • Dunn, M., Savick, S., & Durham, R.E. (2025). College access literacy with a FOCUS on key transition knowledge for historically underrepresented students and educators. Journal of College Access, 10(2), 47-80. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jca/vol10/iss2/5
  • Plasman, J., Stein, M. L., Durham, R. E., & Smith-Onyewu, Z. (2025). CTE Mechanisms: The Effects of Career and Technical Education Center Admissions Offers in Baltimore. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 47(3), 682-702.
  • Durham, R.E., Falk, M., Daniels A., Reigel, A., Sparks, A., Williams, M., & Yanisko, E. (2024). Encouraging STEM careers among minoritized high school students: The interplay between socio-environmental factors and other social cognitive career constructs. Education Sciences, 14(7), 789-805. doi.org/10.3390/educsci14070789
  • Silver, P., Dupuis, J., Durham, R.E., Schaaf, R., Pallett, L., & Watson, L. (2024). Building technology integration at an urban school through a PDS partnership. School University Partnerships, 17(2), 185-204. doi.org/10.1108/SUP-10-2023-0041
  • Durham, R.E., Smith-Onyewu, Z., Cronister, C., Dewey, N.A., & Stein, M.L. (2023). College Access in Baltimore A Decade of College-Going Among City Schools Graduates. Baltimore, MD: Baltimore Education Research Consortium. https://baltimore-berc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2023_BERC_CollegeAccessReport.pdf
  • Dupuis, J., & Durham, R.E. (2023). K-12 science achievement: Time-varying influence of Green School initiatives. Environmental Education Research, 30(2), 306-319. doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2023.2253502
  • Durham, R.E. (2020). Predictors of Career and College Persistence among Baltimore City Schools Graduates: Implications for Differences between Career and College Destinations. Baltimore, MD: Maryland Longitudinal Data System Center. https://mldscenter.maryland.gov/egov/Publications/ExternalResearchReports/MLDS_Report_PostsecondaryPathwaysBaltimoreCitySchoolsGrads_June2020.pdf
  • Arnold, K. T., Pollack Porter, K. M., Frattaroli, S., Durham, R. E., Mmari, K., Clary, L. K., & Mendelson, T. (2020). Factors that Influenced Adoption of a School-Based Trauma-Informed Universal Mental Health Intervention. Prevention Science, 1-12.
  • Connolly, F., Durant, T., & Durham, R. E. (2020). Indicators to assist in addressing equity through policy adoption. Teachers College Record, 122(14), 1-32. doi.org/10.1177/016146812012201411
  • Durham, R. E., Shiller, J., Connolly, F. (2019). Student attendance: A persistent challenge and leading indicator for Baltimore’s Community School Strategy. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk, 24(3), 218-243.
  • Durham, R. E., Bell-Ellwanger, J., Connolly, F., Howard Robinson, K., Olson, L., Rone, T. (2015). University-district partnership research to understand college readiness among Baltimore City students. Journal of Education for Students Placed At Risk, 20(1-2), 120-140.
  • Barakat, B. F., Durham, R. E. (2014). Future education trends. In Wolfgang Lutz, William Butz, Samir KC (Eds). World Population and Human Capital in the 21st Century (pp. pp. 397-433). Oxford University Press.
  • Barakat, B. F., Durham, R. E., Guimareas, C. R. (2013). Age compositional adjustments for educational participation indicators. Population, 68(4), 607-626. doi.org/10.3917/popu.1304.0697
  • Barakat, B. F., Durham, R. E. (2013). Dropout mayors and graduate farmers: Educational fertility differentials by occupational status and industry in six European countries. Demographic Research, 28, 1213-1262. doi.org/10.4054/demres.2013.28.42
  • Bodovski, K., Durham, R. E. (2010). Parental practices and achievement of Mexican and Chinese immigrant children in the U.S.: Assimilation patterns? Research in Comparative and International Education, 5(2), 156-175.
  • Balfanz, R., Durham, R., Plank, S.B. (2008). Lost Days: Patterns and Levels of Chronic Absenteeism among Baltimore City Public School Students, 1999-00 to 2005-06. Baltimore, MD: Baltimore Education Research Consortium. http://baltimore-berc.org/pdfs/Attendance_issue_brief_05-13-08.pdf
  • Balfanz, R., Durham, R., Plank, S.B. (2008). Lost Days: Patterns and Levels of Chronic Absenteeism among Baltimore City Public School Students, 1999-00 to 2005-06. Baltimore, MD: Baltimore Education Research Consortium. http://baltimore-berc.org/pdfs/Attendance_issue_brief_05-13-08.pdf
  • Durham, R. E., Farkas, G., Scheffner-Hammer, C., Tomblin, B., Catts, H. (2007). Kindergarten oral language skill: A key variable in the intergenerational transmission of socioeconomic status. Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, 25, 294-305. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rssm.2007.03.001

Publications

  1. Dunn, M., Savick, S., & Durham, R.E. (2025). College access literacy with a FOCUS on key transition knowledge for historically underrepresented students and educators. Journal of College Access, 10(2), 47-80. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jca/vol10/iss2/5Plasman, J., Stein, M. L., Durham, R. E., & Smith-Onyewu, Z. (2025). CTE Mechanisms: The Effects of Career and Technical Education Center Admissions Offers in Baltimore. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 47(3), 682-702.Daniels, A.G., & Durham, R.E. (2025). “How did I pass this and I didn’t know any of it?” Reconsidering social cognitive career theory and the development of mathematical self-efficacy amid structural inequalities. Paper presented at American Society for Engineering Education, Montreal, CanadaDurham, R.E., Falk, M., Daniels A., Reigel, A., Sparks, A., Williams, M., & Yanisko, E. (2024). Encouraging STEM careers among minoritized high school students: The interplay between socio-environmental factors and other social cognitive career constructs. Education Sciences, 14(7), 789-805. doi.org/10.3390/educsci14070789Baruch, B., & Durham, R. E. (2024). The impact of remote learning on the English acquisition of Delaware K-12 multilingual learners. Paper presented at the Annual Meetings of the American Educational Research Association, Philadelphia, PA.Durham, R.E., Smith-Onyewu, Z., Cronister, C., Dewey, N.A., & Stein, M.L. (2023). College Access in Baltimore A Decade of College-Going Among City Schools Graduates. Baltimore, MD: Baltimore Education Research Consortium. https://baltimore-berc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2023_BERC_CollegeAccessReport.pdf R.E. (2020). Predictors of Career and College Persistence among Baltimore City Schools Graduates: Implications for Differences between Career and College Destinations. Baltimore, MD: Maryland Longitudinal Data System Center. https://mldscenter.maryland.gov/egov/Publications/ExternalResearchReports/MLDS_Report_PostsecondaryPathwaysBaltimoreCitySchoolsGrads_June2020.pdfDupuis, J., & Durham, R.E. (2023). K-12 science achievement: Time-varying influence of Green School initiatives. Environmental Education Research, 30(2), 306-319. doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2023.2253502Klinger, A., & Durham, R.E. (2022). Language minority students identified for special education: Proportional representation across elementary years. Paper presented at the Annual Meetings of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, CA.Arnold, K. T., Pollack Porter, K. M., Frattaroli, S., Durham, R. E., Mmari, K., Clary, L. K., & Mendelson, T. (2020). Factors that Influenced Adoption of a School-Based Trauma-Informed Universal Mental Health Intervention. Prevention Science, 1-12.Connolly, F., Durant, T., & Durham, R. E. (2020). Indicators to assist in addressing equity through policy adoption. Teachers College Record, 122(14), 1-32. doi.org/10.1177/016146812012201411Durham, R. E., Shiller, J., Connolly, F. (2019). Student attendance: A persistent challenge and leading indicator for Baltimore’s Community School Strategy. Journal of Education for Students Placed At Risk, 24(3), 218-243.Durham, R. E., Bell-Ellwanger, J., Connolly, F., Howard Robinson, K., Olson, L., Rone, T. (2015). University-district partnership research to understand college readiness among Baltimore City students. Journal of Education for Students Placed At Risk, 20(1-2), 120-140.Barakat, B. F., Durham, R. E. (2014). Future education trends. In Wolfgang Lutz, William Butz, Samir KC (Eds). World Population and Human Capital in the 21st Century (pp. pp. 397-433). Oxford University Press.Bodovski, K., Durham, R. E. (2010). Parental practices and achievement of Mexican and Chinese immigrant children in the U.S.: Assimilation patterns? Research in Comparative and International Education, 5(2), 156-175.

Presentations

  • Daniels, A.G., & Durham, R.E. (2026). Developing STEM career goals in urban high schools? Evidence from an experimental algebra-for-engineering afterschool program. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association, Los Angeles, CA.
  • Shiller, J., Durham, R.E., & Galindo, C. (2026). Understanding the impact of a statewide initiative for community schools in Maryland. Paper presented in symposium at the American Educational Research Association, Los Angeles, CA.
  • Plasman, J., Herelle, T.I., Durham, R.E., Davis, M.H., Mac Iver, M.A., et al. (2026). Opportunity and access: Availability of career development opportunities in Baltimore City Public Schools. Paper presented in symposium at the American Educational Research Association, Los Angeles, CA.
  • Daniels, A.G., Durham, R.E., Falk, M. L., Reigel, A., Sparks, A., Williams, M., Yanisko, E., & Watkins-Lewis, K. (2025). Evaluation of a hybrid algebra-for-engineering program: Identifying strengths, challenges, lessons learned, and “fit” in an urban education landscape. Paper presented at American Society for Engineering Education, Montreal, Canada.
  • Durham, R. E., Falk, M., Daniels, A.G., Sparks, A., Williams, M., Riegel, A., et al. (2024). Encouraging STEM careers among minoritized high school students: The interplay between socio-environmental factors and other social cognitive career constructs. Paper presented at the Annual Meetings of the American Society for Engineering Education, Portland, OR.
  • Baruch, B., & Durham, R. E. (2024). The impact of remote learning on the English acquisition of Delaware K-12 multilingual learners. Paper presented at the Annual Meetings of the American Educational Research Association, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Durham, R. E., Stein, M. L., Plasman, J., & Smith-Onyewu, Z. (2023). Causal evidence of the role of career and technical education in postsecondary enrollment and persistence. Paper presented at the Annual Meetings of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL.
  • Hickey, K., Savick, S., Durham, R. E., & Logan-Washington, C. (2023). Mixed-method study of teachers' perceptions of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy and implementation of sociopolitical consciousness. Paper presented at the Annual Meetings of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL.
  • Ferguson, K., Savick, S., Durham, R. E., & Woolridge, H. R. (2023). Dual enrollment and its impact on the college access and persistence of students of color. Paper presented at the Annual Meetings of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL.
  • Klinger, A., & Durham, R.E. (2022). Language minority students identified for special education: Proportional representation across elementary years. Paper presented at the Annual Meetings of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, CA.
  • Stein, M. L., Plasman, J., Durham, R. E., & Smith, Z. (2022). CTE pursuit and academic outcomes: The case of Baltimore CTE centers. Paper presented at the Meetings of the Association for Public Policy and Analysis (APPAM). Washington, DC.
  • Durham, R.E., & Connolly, F. (2019). College and labor force outcomes in young adulthood: Using accountability-based state longitudinal data systems to address opportunity inequity. Paper presented at the Annual Meetings of the American Educational Research Association, Toronto, Ontario.
  • Durham, R.E., Baez, J., Wentworth, L., Alexander, C., Yamashiro, K., Lystrup, N., & Gerstein, A. (2018). Research practice partnerships and postsecondary transitions: Some assembly required. Symposium presented at the Annual Meetings of the Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness, Washington, DC.
  • Durham, R.E., & Connolly, F. (2018). College enrollment and summer melt in a large urban district: Student and high school factors. Annual Meetings of the American Educational Research Association, New York, New York.