Date Approved

3-30-2026

Embargo Period

3-30-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ed.D. Educational Leadership

Department

Educational Leadership

College

College of Education

Advisor

Shelley Zion, Ph.D.

Committee Member 1

Cathy A. R. Brant, Ph.D.

Committee Member 2

Rumyana Kudeva, D.S.W.

Keywords

child care;coaching;early childhood;families;leadership;social emotional learning

Disciplines

Education | Educational Leadership

Abstract

This qualitative collective instrumental case study examined how early childhood consultation specialists (coaches) perceive and implement LGBTQ+ affirming practices in early learning environments serving children from birth to five. Although legal and policy advancements have increased recognition of LGBTQ+ identities, early childhood education remains an underexamined context for inclusive practice. Grounded in a constructivist and interpretivist paradigm and informed by Queer Theory, Transformative Leadership Theory, Practice-Based Coaching, and the Pyramid Model, data were collected through interviews, surveys, and reflective field notes with a purposeful sample of New Jersey coaches. Findings highlight how coaches define inclusion, navigate organizational conditions, and identify gaps in training and systemic support needed to embed LGBTQ+ affirming practices in professional learning and early childhood settings.

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