Jarvais J. Jackson

Dr. Jarvais J. Jackson is a former elementary teacher and current Assistant Professor of Elementary Literacy Education at Indiana University Indianapolis. His work is grounded in pro-Blackness, culturally sustaining pedagogy, and the educational wellness of Black students and teachers. Drawing on qualitative and community-based research, Dr. Jackson partners with schools and families to prepare educators who center Black children’s lived experiences and affirm their brilliance. His scholarship explores family engagement, African Diaspora Literacy, and school-university partnerships that move beyond transactional involvement toward shared power and co-creation.
     As a scholar-practitioner, Dr. Jackson actively collaborates and publishes with classroom teachers as part of his research, ensuring their voices remain central in efforts to transform education. Before joining IUI, he served as a Program Director and Assistant Professor at Georgia Southern University, where he led innovative teacher preparation efforts and built strong partnerships with local schools. He also directed statewide equity-focused initiatives through the Center for the Education and Equity of African American Students (CEEAAS).
     Dr. Jackson currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National Association for School-University Partnerships (NASUP). His work has been published by Teachers College Press, and in The Urban Review and The Reading Teacher, and presented at AERA, NCTE, and the Black Doctoral Network. Across his teaching, research, and service, he remains committed to sustaining liberatory educational spaces where Black children and their communities can thrive.