Rainbow Promises, Uneven Promises: Framing LGBTQIA+ Educational Policy and Possibility in Education
Despite the expansion of LGBTQIA+ inclusive policies in K-12 education, disparities in students’ experiences with safety and belonging persist. This qualitative case study examines how such policies are interpreted and enacted within a high school and district in Southern California, and how these processes shape LGBTQIA+ students’ experiences. Guided by ecological systems theory, queer theory, and multiple streams theory, this study conceptualizes policy implementation as a dynamic and socially constructed process influenced by power, ideology, and institutional context. Data were collected through interviews, document and artifact analysis, and observations, with analysis that used a multi-phased coding procedure. Findings revealed that policy implementation is mediated across multiple system levels and shaped by five key themes: policy mediation at the district level, performative inclusion practices, reliance on individual advocacy, system misalignment and communication gaps, and broader sociopolitical influences. These dynamics contribute to uneven implementation and varied students’ experiences across contexts. The study concludes that policy presence alone does not ensure equitable outcomes. Instead, effectiveness depends on how policies are interpreted and enacted in practice. This research highlights the need for stronger alignment, professional development, and accountability mechanisms to support meaningful implementation. By centering LGBTQIA+ student experiences, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of how policy, practice, and power interact within educational systems to help understand and inform current practices.
LGBTQIA+ educational policy, policy implementation, queer theory, ecological systems framework, school climate, equity and access, K-12 education, qualitative research, policy enactment, student experience, Curriculum and Social Inquiry, Educational Leadership, Education Policy, Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration, Gender and Sexuality, Gender Equity in Education, Politics and Social Change, Social Justice
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