
Carolyn Sattin-Bajaj, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Director, Center for College Readiness
Department of Education Leadership Management and Policy
(973) 275-2846
Email
Jubilee Hall
Room 413
Carolyn Sattin-Bajaj, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Director, Center for College Readiness
Department of Education Leadership Management and Policy
Carolyn Sattin-Bajaj's research examines issues of educational access and equity for immigrant-origin youth and other historically underserved student populations with an emphasis on school choice policies and points of educational transition. Carolyn’s work has been funded by the William T. Grant Foundation, the Spencer Foundation, the Smith-Richardson Foundation, the Heckscher Foundation for Children, the New York Community Trust, and the American Educational Research Association. It has appeared in a variety of academic journals and popular media outlets including the Peabody Journal of Education, American Journal of Education, Sociology of Education, The New York Times, The Huffington Post, EdWeek, and NPR. Carolyn is author of "Unaccompanied Minors: Immigrant Youth, School Choice, and the Pursuit of Equity" (Harvard Education Press, 2014), "Matching Students to Opportunity: Expanding College Choice, Access and Quality" (co-editor with Andrew Kelly and Jessica Howell, Harvard Education Press, 2016), "Blueprint for School System Transformation: A Vision for Comprehensive Reform in Milwaukee and Beyond" (co-editor with Frederick M. Hess, Rowman & Littlefield, 2013) and "Educating the Whole Child for the Whole World: The Ross School Model and Education for the Global Era" (co-editor with Marcelo M. Suárez-Orozco, New York University Press, 2010). She earned a Ph.D. and M.A. in international education from New York University. Prior to earning her doctorate, Carolyn worked on secondary school reform at the New York City Department of Education.
Education
- Ph.D., International Education, New York University
- M.A., International Education, New York University
- B.A., Public Policy Studies, Duke University
Scholarship
- Sattin-Bajaj, Carolyn, Jennings, Jennifer, Corcoran, Sean P., *Baker-Smith, Christy, & *Hailey, Chantal. Surviving at the street-level: How counselors’ implementation of school choice policy shapes students’ high school destinations. Sociology of Education, 91(1), 46-71, 2018.
- Kelly, Andrew P., Howell, Jessica S. & Sattin-Bajaj, Carolyn (Eds.), Matching students to opportunity: Expanding college choice, access and quality. Cambridge, MA: Harvard, Education Press, 2016.
- Sattin-Bajaj, Carolyn. Elusive equity: The limits of high school choice in New York City. In M. A. Gottfried & G.Q. Conchas (Eds.), When school policies backfire. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press 2016.
- Sattin-Bajaj, Carolyn. Unaccompanied minors: How children of Latin American immigrants negotiate high school choice. American Journal of Education, 121(3), 381-415, May 2015.
- Unaccompanied Minors: Immigrant Youth, School Choice and the Pursuit of Equity, Harvard Education Press, 2014.
- "Two roads diverged: Exploring variation in students' school choice experiences", Journal of School Choice 8(3), 410-445, September 2014.
Accomplishments
Grants:
- Principal Investigator. "School Choice and the Homeless: Enrollment Challenges Facing Families in New York City Shelters," New York Community Trust, with Sean Corcoran, Jennifer Jennings ($50,000), 2017-2018.
- Co-Principal Investigator. "NYC High School Application Guide: Enhancing Supports for Low Income Students to Choose High Quality Schools," Heckscher Foundation for Children with Jennifer Jennings, Sean Corcoran, and Sarah Cohodes ($316,481), 2017-2018.
- Principal Investigator. "The Role of Community-Based Organizations in Guiding Families’ School Choices," Seton Hall University Research Council Grant ($9,813), 2017-2018.
- Co-Principal Investigator. "Leveling the Playing Field for High School Choice through Informational Tools: A Randomized Intervention Study," Smith-Richardson Foundation with Sarah Cohodes, Sean Corcoran, and Jennifer Jennings ($249,424), 2016-2017.
- Co-Principal Investigator. "Scaling Up Decision-Supports for Low-Income 8th Graders Choosing High Schools in New York City," The Heckscher Foundation for Children with Jennifer Jennings, Sean Corcoran, and Sarah Cohodes ($96,749), 2016.
- Co-Principal Investigator. "Leveling the Playing field for High School Choice through Decision Supports: A Randomized Intervention Study," William T. Grant Foundation with Jennifer Jennings, Sean Corcoran and Sarah Cohodes ($447,671), 2015-2018.
- Principal Investigator. "Leveling the Playing field for High School Choice through Decision Supports: A Randomized Intervention Study," Spencer Foundation with Sean Corcoran, Jennifer Jennings and Sarah Cohodes ($45,000), 2015-2016.
- Principal Investigator. "Informed Choice, Informing Choice: A Pilot Study of Randomized Decision Supports," Spencer Foundation with Sean Corcoran, Jennifer Jennings and Sarah Cohodes ($48,520), 2014-2015.
- Co-Principal Investigator. "Leveling the Playing Field for High School Choice in NYC Through Decision Supports," The Heckscher Foundation for Children with Jennifer Jennings, Sean Corcoran, and Sarah Cohodes ($65,753),2014-2015.
- Principal Investigator. "Undermatching to Post-Secondary Education: A Conference Exploring the Scale, Scope, Causes and Consequences of the Issue," American Educational Research Association Conferences Grant with Elaine Walker ($35,000), 2012-2013.
Honors:
- Seton Hall University, College of Education & Human Services Schreitmueller Faculty Servant Leader Award, 2018.
- Seton Hall University, College of Education & Human Services Teacher of the Year, 2017
- Named by Noodle as one of the 67 Influential Educators Who Are Changing the Way We Learn, 2015.
- Seton Hall University, College of Education & Human Services Researcher of the Year, 2015.
- Ranked among top 175 education scholars with strong public presence on Rick Hess' Edu-Scholar List on Education Week, 2013.
Media Contributions:
- Sattin-Bajaj, Carolyn. Dear Secretary Betsy DeVos, Please Don’t Overlook Parents. EdWeek Commentary. September 19, 2017.
- Sattin-Bajaj, Carolyn. Education Research Needs a Policy Makeover. EdWeek Commentary. January 11, 2017.