Dr. Muhammad Khalifa

Bio

Dr. Khalifa’s research examines how urban school leaders enact culturally responsive leadership and anti-oppressive schooling practices. His work speaks to the importance of understanding and partnering closely with families, valuing all that they bring to the table. Dr. Khalifa has advocated for community-centered solutions. He wrote in one article, “By establishing a constant and positive community presence, educators are more likely to win approval and support for their work at school.”

He was previously a teacher and administrator in Detroit Public Schools, and has also contributed to community-informed education projects in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Dr. Khalifa has written extensively on minoritized student identities in school, how schools can become liberatory spaces for youth, and how schools can begin to recognize and value community and ancestral knowledges in and around schools. He is the author of the top-selling book, Culturally Responsive School Leadership (Harvard Education Press, 2018).