Donna Y Ford

About

Donna Y. Ford, PhD, is a Distinguished Professor of Education and Human Ecology in the College of Education and Human Ecology at The Ohio State University. She is also a Faculty Affiliate with the Kirwan Institute and the Center for Latin American Studies. Professor Ford is in the Department of Educational Studies and the Special Education Program. Her academic background includes a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Urban Education (educational psychology) from Cleveland State University, earned in 1991, along with a Masters of Education degree in counseling (1988), and a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications and Spanish (1984). She has held academic positions at Vanderbilt University, where she was a Professor of Special Education and held two Endowed Chairs, as well as at the University of Virginia and the University of Kentucky. Professor Ford's research primarily focuses on gifted education and culturally responsive, multicultural, and urban education. Her work addresses critical issues such as the achievement gap, recruiting and retaining culturally different students in gifted education, multicultural curriculum and instruction, culturally competent teacher training and development, African-American identity, and African-American family involvement. She actively consults with school districts and educational and legal organizations on topics including gifted education under-representation, Advanced Placement, multicultural/urban education, counseling, and efforts to…

Research topics

• Sociology
• Pedagogy
• Political Science
• Mathematics education
• Gender studies
• Psychology
• Aesthetics
• Law
• Social psychology
• Public administration

Selected publications

• All eyez on me: Disproportionality, disciplined, and disregarded while Black

  Theory Into Practice · 2022 · 23 citations

  In this article, we present an extensive overview of inequities in three areas of education: (1) gifted and talented education; (2) accelerated coursework; (3) and discipline. Intersectionality undergirds our focus on these three areas as they go together to paint a disturbing picture of the experiences of Black children in P-12 schools, as well as institutions of higher education. In addition to laying out the culturally assaultive problems, we provide recommendations and resources designed to…

  DOI

• Inequitable representation of Black boys in gifted and talented education, Advanced Placement, and special education

  Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development · 2023-08-21 · 18 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Abstract Black boys are overrepresented in special education (SPED) and underrepresented in gifted and talented education, Advanced Placement, and other opportunities for advanced learners. Conversely, they are overrepresented in SPED. In this article, we address the vicious cycle of deficit thinking and intelligence test inequities—the consequences and impact on Black males. The impact of high‐stakes testing and racial prejudice and discrimination is stark. We present an equity formula to guide…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A culturally responsive, ecological approach to cultivating and engaging twice-exceptional black males in gifted and talented and special education

  Educational Psychologist · 2025-04-24 · 17 citations

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• Early childhood teachers’ dispositions, knowledge, and skills related to diversity, inclusion, equity, and justice

  Early Childhood Research Quarterly · 2023-12-23 · 15 citations

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• CritSEM: Advancing QuantCrit to Examine Racialized Resegregation in Special Education

  Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness · 2024-10-30 · 10 citations

  articleSenior author
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Frequent coauthors

• James L. Moore

  WinnMed

  102 shared

• Erik M. Hines

  George Mason University

  79 shared

• Edward C. Fletcher

  The Ohio State University

  73 shared

• Turhan Carroll

  University of Georgia

  65 shared

• Mack Shelley

  Iowa State University

  64 shared

• Adriel A. Hilton

  Southern University at New Orleans

  64 shared

• Anthony Munroe

  Florida Gulf Coast University

  64 shared

• Kip Jones

  Bournemouth University

  64 shared

Awards & honors

• Research Award from the Shannon Center for Advanced Studies
• Early Career Award from The American Educational Research As…
• Career Award from The American Educational Research Associat…
• Senior Scholar Award from The National Association for Gifte…
• Early Scholar Award from The National Association for Gifted…