Undergraduate courses taught provided research-based methods and strategies for students majoring in education. These courses introduced undergraduate students to the process of classroom management, introduced exceptional education, covered legal aspects regarding special education, focused on educating pre-service teachers on how to instruct diverse k-12 student populations, and monitored undergraduate students while they participated in teacher observations and local schools.
Doctoral coursework in Xavier’s Education Leadership program focused on current educational issues school leaders encounter, regarding special education. Coursework was structured to instruct school leaders on becoming transformative administrators within their various capacities in Orleans Parish. Coursework also focused on qualitative research methods in educational leadership and special education research. Lastly, course work focused on test taking strategies for students who needed to take School Leaders Licensure Assessment (6011), to become a certified school administrator in Louisiana.
Conducted regular observations for students who were currently working as classroom teachers in charter school networks throughout New Orleans.
Biography:
Dr. Jimmy R. Caldwell, Jr., is a dedicated educator, scholar, and advocate with over 18 years of experience in secondary and post-secondary education. He earned his Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction with a specialization in Special Education from the University of South Florida. Dr. Caldwell’s teaching and research focus on addressing systemic inequities in education, particularly the overrepresentation of Black students in special education and the discipline disparities they face.
Dr. Caldwell has experience teaching and mentoring at undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels. His courses have emphasized evidence-based strategies for inclusive education, the legal foundations of special education, and preparing educators to meet the needs of diverse student populations. Additionally, his leadership includes supervising practicums, mentoring graduate students, and developing coursework that bridges theory and practice in education.
Dr. Caldwell’s scholarship is deeply informed by his commitment to educational equity. His research leverages frameworks such as “Blackness as Disability” to explore the intersections of race, disability, and educational policy. His work has been published in esteemed journals and presented at national conferences. Beyond academia, Dr. Caldwell has held leadership roles in K-12 settings, including as a site administrator for programs supporting at-risk youth, showcasing his dedication to fostering success across diverse educational environments.
When not engaged in teaching or research, Dr. Caldwell enjoys contributing to collaborative initiatives that align with his passion for equity and inclusion. He is honored to bring his expertise and dedication to the NCE and National Louis University community.
Education:
Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction with emphasis in Special Education & Cognate in Sociology of Education December 2017
Dissertation: “I Use to Pray and Ask God to Give Me Another Chance”: A Phenomenological Analysis of Black Males’ Journey Attending an Alternative School
Advisor and Dissertation Chair: Dr. Brenda L. Walker, PhD, JD
University of South Florida M.Ed. in Educational Policy & Leadership May 2010
Florida A&M University B.S. in Political Science April 2005
Research and Interests:
Peer Reviewed Publications:
• Caldwell, Jr, J.R. (2023). All Education Is Political: Critical Race Theory, White Power, and the Killing of Black Academic Freedom. The AAUP Journal of Academic Freedom, (14), 1-10.
• Council, Ivory, Caldwell Jr, J.R., Caldwell, Portia (2021). Mississippi Goddam: Water as a Conduit for Environmental Racism and Black Death in the Bayou. (A Journal of Imagining America), 7(1).
• Caldwell Jr, J.R. (2021). Black Students Existing is an Act of Defiance- Racial-Microaggressions, Racial Battle Fatigue and Surviving White Schools. CRESTSprogram Journal 1(1).
• Caldwell Jr, J.R. & Curtis, Jessica A. (2013). Incarceration Nation: How Educational Programs in Prisons “Lock Out” Incarcerated Juveniles. Journal of Education and Social Justice, 1(1), 51-60.
Book Reviews:
• Caldwell Jr., J.R. (2021) Review of Diantha Watt’s, Anti-Racist School Leadership: 10 Anti-Racist Practices for School Leaders, Boston Massachusetts: Alinea Learning Publications
Publications in Progress:
• Grant, Stephanie; Caldwell Jr., J.R. (Submitted). Identifying Disproportionality: The Relationship Between Hypersegregation and Discipline Disparities. Submitted to the Journal of Psychology (March 2024).
• Smith Jr., Gerald; Caldwell Jr., J.R. (Submitted). Silencing Wingless Truth: Confronting the Suppression of Academic Freedom and Black Liberation in America. Submitted to the Journal of Academic Freedom (March 2024).
• Caldwell Jr, J.R. (In Progress). What About HBCUs? The Impact of Post Racial Ideologies and Educational Policies on the Future Relevancy of Historically Black Colleges & Universities.
• Caldwell Jr, J.R. (In Progress). What can Brown do for you? A Nation’s Response to Brown v. Board of Education: The Overrepresentation of African American Males in Special Education.
Presentations:
Grant, Stephanie; Caldwell Jr., J.R. (Spring 2024): Identifying Disproportionality: The Relationship Between Hypersegregation and Discipline Disparities. Paper presented at the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Annual Meeting. New Orleans, La. February 14-17, 2024.
Caldwell Jr., J.R. (Fall 2023): All Education Is Political: Critical Race Theory, White Power, and the Killing of Black Academic Freedom. Paper presented at the Critical Race Studies in Education Association (CRESEA) Annual Meeting. Chicago, Il. October 26-27, 2023.
Caldwell Jr., J.R. (Fall 2023): The State of Black Education: Solutions to Achieving Educational Equity. Panel discussion host at The Center for Equity, Justice & the Human Spirit Symposium on Black Education. Xavier University of Louisiana
Caldwell Jr., J.R. (Summer 2022): Increasing Black Male Teachers into the Profession. Panel discussant at The Center for Equity, Justice & the Human Spirit. Xavier University of Louisiana, July 25, 2022.
Caldwell Jr., J.R. (Summer 2022): What is Special about Special Education? Research presented at #NOLAed: Education for Liberation. New Orleans, La. June 16, 2022.
Caldwell Jr., J.R. (Spring 2022): A Critical Conversation HBCU’s As Havens for Black Critical Thought. Invited panel discussant at the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education Annual Meeting. New Orleans, La. March 4-6, 2022.
Caldwell Jr., J.R. (Spring 2022): Moving from Transgenerational Trauma to Transgenerational Resilience: Helping Black Children Heal from Historical Racism. Invited Panel Discussant at the Culturally Responsive, Evidence-Based Strategies for Traumatic Stress (CRESTS) Black History Symposium Virtual meeting. February 8, 2022.
Caldwell Jr., J.R. (Fall 2021): Black Students Existing is an Act of Defiance- Racial-Microaggressions, Racial Battle Fatigue and Surviving White Schools. Paper Presentation at the Putting the R(ace) into ACES: Race-Based Trauma in Black Children Virtual Symposium. August 13, 2021.
Caldwell Jr., J.R. (Fall 2021): Teaching at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Invited Panel Discussant. Virtual Presentation at Xavier University of Louisiana. September 27, 2021.
