WELCOME TO
The Educational Diversity Project
A longitudinal study of U.S. law schools
WHAT IS EDP?
The Educational Diversity Project (EDP) examines the relationships between race and educational diversity in incoming students at law schools in the United States. EDP launched immediately following Grutter v. Bollinger (2003) at the University of Michigan Law School, in which the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the educational benefits of diversity, and that institutions may consider race as a factor in admission decisions. In light of continued cases at institutions including University of Texas at Austin, Harvard University, and University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, EDP's work continues.
EDP was recently represented at meetings including the World Education Research Association in Johannesburg, South Africa and the Law and Society Association in Toronto, Canada.
See EDP's publications and participation in meetings across the globe.
OVER A DECADE OF RESEARCH
The Educational Diversity Project examines whether or not educational benefits flow from a diverse student body, and if they do exist:
-
What is the nature of these educational benefits?
-
In what ways do race and other factors impact how these benefits are manifest?
We use a multi-method approach to address these research questions.
EDP'S TIMELINE
Fall 2004
First, we administrated the Year 1 EDP Baseline Survey to over 8000 incoming law students at 69 American Bar Association approved law schools across the U.S. This involved a rigorous development process, including pilot administration and extensive psychometric analyses. Wed drew from a number of major research programs and national surveys, generating the ideal questionnaire.
We conducted focus groups with approximately 200 students at 11 law schools. Focus group data collection allows us to provide further nuance, depth, and richness to the survey data about students and to develop a greater, general understanding of educational diversity as t is evidenced in their law schools. The protocol for each year has a different general theme that corresponds with the salient issues for that academic year.
We administered a follow-up web survey, the Year 3 EDP Survey, to a sub-sample of law students who completed the baseline survey. This showed us how students' opinions might change over time. This survey was also particularly useful in revealing hidden variables that may have influenced students' decisions.
We conducted the EDP Law School Faculty Interview Study to explore how student diversity enters into professors' teaching (if at all) and pedagogical approaches for dealing with issues around race and student diversity when performing legal analyses in a classroom setting.
Present
Summer 2007
Spring 2007
Spring 2005
We are following up with law school graduates over ten years post-graduation.
INVITATION:
FOLLOW-UP STUDY
Over ten-years since the Educational Diversity Project began, we are presented with the unique and important opportunity to follow-up. If you receive an invitation to participate in the follow-up study and have questions, we can be reached at educationaldiversityproject@gmail.com.
