Tara Bartlett
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Mail code: 3720Campus: Dtphx
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Tara Bartlett is a Senior Research Analyst for Arizona State University's Participatory Governance Initiative. Her research focuses on public policy and democratic innovations, particularly among youth and within school communities. In her work, Tara draws upon frameworks of citizenship education, school democracy, and participatory governance and utilizes methods such as community-based research (CBR) and participatory action research (PAR). Tara’s focus on these research areas is driven by her experience and passion for integrating opportunities for youth and families to participate in school community decision-making processes, policy creation and adoption, and community empowerment initiatives.
Before pursuing a doctoral degree, Tara was a public school educator with 14 years of teaching experience in Arizona Title I middle schools. Through various education leadership roles, Tara has been integral in elevating district curriculum and statewide standards initiatives and facilitating professional development opportunities for fellow educators. These experiences, coupled with the observed outcomes of civic action and student voice within the classroom, led Tara to reimagine how K12 schools can better equip youth with the knowledge, attitudes, skills, and practices to become political and civic changemakers within their own communities for the long term.
Additionally, Tara has experience working on both small and large-scale civic education projects in Arizona, across the US, and internationally. In Arizona, Tara serves as Co-Director of the Arizona Civic Coalition and has been integral to the expansion and adoption of the proven practices of civic education in Arizona schools. At both the state and regional U.S. levels, Tara coordinates and facilitates several K12 civic learning programs like Project Citizen, Kids Voting, and We the People. Nationally, Tara has worked on several civic research projects, including the Educating for American Democracy project and the Project Citizen Research Program. Internationally, Tara continues to facilitate cross-cultural learning opportunities on citizenship education, public pedagogy, and civic engagement for the U.S. State Department's Young Southeast Asian Leadership Initiative (YSEALI), the Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI), and the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP).
Born and raised in Arizona, Tara is dedicated to investing in Arizona’s future. Outside of volunteering for several local K12 education organizations and serving as her precinct’s committee person, Tara enjoys spending time exploring all Arizona has to offer, including hiking, biking, and eating. She is a self-dubbed localist and a strong supporter of local businesses, events, and restaurants -ask her what some of her favorites are! Currently, Tara lives in South Phoenix with her partner and their three fur kiddos: Thor, Sucia, and Pata.
PhD, Education Policy and Evaluation | Arizona State University 2023
Certificate, Social Science Research Methods | Arizona State University 2021
MA, Social Cultural Pedagogy | Arizona State University 2015
Certificate, Social Entrepreneurship + Community Development | Arizona State University 2015
BA, Elementary Education | Arizona State University 2006
Participatory Governance, Civic Engagement, Civic Education, Inclusive Education, Educational Policy, Democratic Theory, Community Development, Mixed Methods
Bartlett, T., Law, L.E., Schugurensky, D., Juarez Diaz, M., Wolfersteig, W. (2023). 17 Programs and Practices to Promote a Safe Campus: Alternatives to School Policing and Punitive Practices. Urban Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11256-023-00669-2
Bartlett, T. (2023). Book Review: Just Schools: Building Equitable Collaborations with Families and Communities. Journal of Educational Research and Practice, 13(1). https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/jerap/vol13/iss1/17/
Bartlett, T. (2023). Warning, may cause truth decay: Exploring the cannibalizing effect of social digital media and conspiracy theories on democracy and our public schools. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 2023(178), 79–90. https://doi.org/10.1002/ace.20488
Bartlett, T., and Schugurensky, D. (2023). Inclusive civic education and school democracy through participatory budgeting. Education, Citizenship and Social Justice, OnlineFirst (ahead of print). https://doi.org/10.1177/17461979231160701
Bartlett, T., Rock, M. Schugurensky, D., and Tate, K. (2022). School Participatory Budgeting Evaluation Toolkit. The Center for the Future of Arizona and Arizona State University Participatory Governance Initiative. https://www.arizonafuture.org/media/x2oort0h/spb-evaluation-toolkit-v3.pdf
Bartlett, T. (2022, October 4). The Roadmap to Educating for American Democracy: The Six Core Pedagogical Principles. Arizona State University Center for Political Thought and Leadership. https://cptl.asu.edu/blog/roadmap-educating-american-democracythe-six-core-pedagogical-principles
Bartlett, T. (2022, September 1). The Seven Themes of the Educating for American Democracy Roadmap. Arizona State University Center for Political Thought and Leadership. https://cptl.asu.edu/blog/seven-themes-educating-american-democracy-roadmap
Bartlett, T., Rock, M., Tate, K., and Schugurensky, D. (2021). School Participatory Budgeting: 25 Frequently Asked Questions. Arizona State University Participatory Governance and the Center for the Future of Arizona. https://spa.asu.edu/sites/default/files/2021-10/25_spb_faq_october2021.pdf
Bartlett, T., and Schugurensky, D. (2021). Reinventing Freire in the 21st century: Citizenship education, student voice and school participatory budgeting. Comparative Issues in Education, 23(2), 55-79. https://doi.org/10.52214/cice.v23i2.8571
Bartlett, T., and Schugurensky, D. (2021). Reinventando Freire no século XXI: educação para a cidadania, protagonismo infanto-juvenil e Orçamento Participativo nas escolas. Revista Educação e Cultura Contemporânea, 18(55), 8-37. http://revistaadmmade.estacio.br/index.php/reeduc/article/view/9935/47968019
Bartlett, T., Law, L., Schugurensky, D., Diaz, M., and Wolfersteig, W. (2021). Reimagining School Safety Without Resource Officers: Discussing Alternative Programs and Practices. Arizona State University Participatory Governance Initiative and Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center. https://sirc.asu.edu/content/reports-and-evaluations
Gibbs, P., Bartlett, T., and Schugurensky, D. (2021). Does School Participatory Budgeting Increase Students’ Political Efficacy? Bandura’s ‘Sources’, Civic Pedagogy, and Education for Democracy. Curriculum and Teaching, 36(1), pp. 5-27. https://doi.org/10.7459/ct/36.1.02
Educating for American Democracy (EAD). (2021). Educating for American Democracy: Excellence in History and Civics for All Learners. iCivics. www.educatingforamericandemocracy.org.
Bartlett, T., and Schugurensky, D. (2020). Deschooling Society 50 Years Later: Revisiting Ivan Illich in the Era of COVID-19. Sisyphus Journal of Education, 8(3), pp. 65-84. https://doi.org/10.25749/sis.20833
Bartlett, T., Rock, M., Schugurensky, D., and Tate, K. (2020). School Participatory Budgeting: A Toolkit for Inclusive Practice. The Center for the Future of Arizona and Arizona State University Participatory Governance Initiative. https://spa.asu.edu/sites/default/files/2020-12/spb_toolkit_2020_11_25.pdf
Re-imagining School Safety with Participatory Budgeting, Arizona State University Participatory Governance Initiative, Arizona State University Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center, Phoenix Union High School District, Participatory Budgeting Project
Project Citizen Research Program, Center for Civic Education, Georgetown University, Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education
Inclusive School Participatory Budgeting, Arizona Developmental Disability Planning Council, Center for the Future of Arizona
Arizona State University President’s Medal for Social Embeddedness 2021
Center for Philosophical Technologies Cannibalization Fellowship Award 2021
Arizona Diamondbacks Most Valuable Teacher Award 2020
John J. Ross Award for Teacher Excellence in Law-Related Education 2019
Mesa Public Schools Service-Learning Teacher of the Year 2018
Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education Featured Teacher 2017
Mesa, Arizona Oriental Masonic Lodge Top Twenty Teachers 2016
Shon Zelman Student Advocacy Award 2015
Arizona Department of Education Civic Education and Community Engagement Program Co-Manager
Arizona State University Graduate Women’s Association Internal Secretary
Social Pedagogy Association Treasurer