An Analysis of How K-12 Educational Experiences Affect Black Women in Higher EducationThe present thesis examines the K-12 educational experiences of Black undergraduate women to better inform education policy. Much of education literature on Black girls highlights disciplinary policies, disparate outcomes, or the influence of educators on their experience from researching Black girls. Yet, there is less of a focus on how Black women in higher education conceptualize their K-12 school experiences, which may offer further insight to practices that hinder or aid in positive school experiences for Black girls. Using semi-structured interviews as a qualitative research method, this thesis explored the narratives of nine Black undergraduate women reflecting on their K-12 educational experience. Through an iterative inductive coding process, four themes emerged marking their common experiences: security in school environment, navigation of identity, structures of support, and quality of educator relationships & instruction. The findings highlight the permeation of antiblackness in educational environments, as well as how the women learn to navigate spaces and events as a result of their identity. The results also revealed how certain practices affirm Black girls and improve their educational landscape. I hope my findings contribute to comprehensive understandings of Black girls and transforms policy to create learning environments that are conducive to Black girl identities.Tukpah, NailahcreatorLevitas, Anthonythesis advisorChaney, MahasanreaderMurphy, KianareaderBrown University. Public Policysponsor2023text_resourcesborn digitalEnglishSenior thesis (AB)--Brown University, 2023Public PolicythesesEducationWomen, BlackraceTeenage girls, Black--Social conditionsK-12All rights reservedIn CopyrightAll Rights Reserved