Meet Our Research Assistants

Leah Bullinger

Leah joined CEI in January 2022 as an undergraduate intern, initially focusing on Childhood and Antiracism initiatives. She contributed to CEI's antiracism book and a virtual suicide-prevention program for schools, while also conducting research on educational interventions. During her internship, Leah authored several articles for HeartMind e-News and played a key role in facilitating virtual listening sessions and online conference sessions. 

In the fall of 2022, Leah became a consultant for CEI and extended her involvement with listening sessions to NRV Public Schools. In 2023, Leah then began working with the National Indian Education Association (NIEA), contributing to presentations, surveys, and reports. She also enrolled in a clinical psychology doctoral program at UT Southwestern but continues to write articles and conduct CEI research. Most recently, Leah has been supporting CEI's mission and initiatives by contributing to the Compassionate School Leadership Academy (CSLA) modules.

How to Deal with Bias (in Others and in Yourself)

Randy Ross, CEI Consultant

Biases of many flavors abound, both around and within each of us. There is bias “for” and bias “against.” Personally, I am biased for children, all children. Educating and supporting children of all ages has been my passion for over 50 years. I am biased against anyone who harms children, knowingly or unknowingly. If you are reading this article, I am guessing you may feel similarly. 

Is Bias the Same as Prejudice? 

They are not exactly the same. “Bias is an inclination for or against a person, an idea, or a thing.... Prejudice is a preconceived opinion…not based on actual experience or reason. Bias may involve both positive and negative attitudes” (Mason, Ross, Harris, & Flanders, 2024, p. 83)...

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HEART+ Framework: A Pathway to Equity and Empathy for All Educators

Orinthia Harris, CEI Faculty

In today’s diverse educational environments, advancing empathy and equity is more crucial than ever. The HEART+ framework (Hope, Education, Acknowledgement, Resolution, Teaching, and Local Needs) provides a comprehensive approach for educators to not only understand but also take meaningful action toward dismantling racism and fostering a culture of inclusivity. While initially developed with early childhood education in mind, HEART+ offers insights that can guide educators across all levels to adopt antiracist practices and create more empathetic, equitable learning spaces.



As you read through the framework, consider three fundamental questions:

• How well am I doing?
• How well is my community doing?
• How could we improve?...

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How to Connect with Students Learning the English Language

Hallie Williams, CEI Research Assistant

Building strong connections with students learning English as a second language (ESL) is crucial for their academic and personal success. These students face unique challenges, from navigating a new language to adapting to unfamiliar cultural norms, all while striving to keep up with their peers. As educators, fostering an inclusive and supportive environment is key to helping ESL students thrive and making every learner feel valued and understood. Learning English can be a positive process if schools meet students’ multilingual needs and students maintain their mother tongues.

The number of English learners in classrooms across America increases each year. In the Fall of 2021, there were 5.3 million English learners (EL) across the US (National Center for Education Statistics, 2024). By 2025, The National Education Association (2020) predicts that one out of every four children in American classrooms will be an English language learner — that’s about 5.53 million students (about twice the population of Arkansas)...

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