Morgan State University Taps Transformative Education Executive to Lead National Center for the Elimination of Educational Disparities

Dr. Meria Carstarphen Selected as Research Center’s Inaugural Director, Working to Address Educational Disparities and Needs of Underserved Communities

BALTIMORE — Morgan State University’s School of Education and Urban Studies (SEUS) has appointed renowned educational leader Meria Carstarphen, Ed.D., as the inaugural director of the National Center for the Elimination of Educational Disparities (NCEED). With more than 20 years of experience in education leadership and a proven track record of effectively managing public educational institutions, Dr. Carstarphen will lead Morgan’s center dedicated to addressing the needs of preschool and school-age populations in Maryland and across the United States through impactful research and the creation of innovative practices that foster achievement, regardless of socio-economic status or geographic background, and equity. Dr. Carstarphen’s appointment is effective July 1.

"I am looking forward to working with Dr. Carstarphen and the dedicated team of researchers and community partners who are committed to re- dressing the persistent inequities in educational outcomes that children from minoritized populations experience,” said Glenda Prime, Ph.D., dean of the School of Education and Urban Studies at Morgan State University. “I am confident that under her leadership the National Center for the Elimination of Educational Disparities will develop evidence-based solutions that can improve school outcomes for all children."

Known to many within the educational sector, Dr. Carstarphen has worked with local, state, and national elected officials to provide recommendations and advice on policies for public institutions. Her focus areas have included human trafficking, community health, accountability assessments, and economic impact. Throughout her career, she has served as a teacher, administrator, and superintendent in major metropolitan public school districts in Atlanta, Georgia, Austin, Texas, and Saint Paul, Minnesota. She is passionate about making communities more robust, primarily through the equalizing power of education from early childhood through college. More than 800,000 students spanning hundreds of schools have been positively impacted through her leadership and work.

She most recently served as a senior scientist, the first ever within its education practice, with Gallup, a research, analytics, and consultancy firm. Prior to Gallup, Dr. Carstarphen provided executive, management, and entrepreneurial leadership as the founder and chief executive officer of a consulting group focused on achieving transformational educational outcomes through executive and research support for global enterprises. And while her recent work has primarily been focused domestically, she has also gained experience from working and studying abroad.

“I am honored to accept the role of director at NCEED and to become a part of the Morgan family. Leveraging my extensive executive and research experience, I am eager to lead and partner with a talented team of experts in crafting innovative solutions to address obstacles that hinder students' learning and achievement,” said Dr. Cartarphen. “Our primary objective is to research and solve longstanding inequities in education for our most vulnerable and disenfranchised student groups so that they can have choice-filled lives.”

Dr. Carstarphen holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and Spanish from Tulane University, Master of Education degrees from Harvard University and Auburn University graduate schools, and a doctorate in Administration, Planning, and Social Policy with a concentration in urban superintendency from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has also studied at the University of Seville, Spain, and the University of Innsbruck, Austria.

Included among her many awards and distinctions are Atlanta Business Chronicle’s “Power 100 – Most Influential Atlantans” (2019) and Most Admired CEO (2015); American Federation of State and County Municipal Employees and the Georgia Federation of Public Service Employees Superintendent of the Year (2018); Georgia Trend Magazine’s “Top 100 Most Influential Georgians” (2016-2019); Anti-Defamation League Torch of Liberty Award (2017); Jackson Foundation Phoenix Award (2015); and the NAACP DeWitty/Overton Award (2013).

The National Center for Educational Equity and Diversity was launched in the fall of 2022 with the mission of improving the educational outcomes of Black, Latinx, and low-income children in public schools in Maryland and across the United States. The Center aims to alter the current trajectory of underachievement, low attendance rates, high dropout rates, and inadequate preparation for college and career to one where these students can reach their full potential, regardless of their zip code and socio-economic status.

The NCEED will also play a role in preparing educators for the implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future,  a set of policies and dedicated funding that is intended to transform Maryland’s early childhood, elementary, and secondary education system to the levels of high–performing systems around the world. The goals of the Blueprint are to improve the quality and equity of Maryland’s education system. The policies in the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future are based on the recommendation​s of the Kirwan Commission.

About Morgan

Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering more than 150 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland’s Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.

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Media Contacts:

Cheryl Stewart or Larry Jones, for Morgan State University PR
443-885-3022