Alounso A. Gilzene, Ph.D. is an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Florida State University. Dr. Gilzene’s research foci include: 1) exploring school leader decision-making around the use of non-profit and community-based organizations in predominantly Black schools; 2) the utility of restorative practices in mitigating race-based disparities in school discipline policies---and the impact this has on the school to prison pipeline; 3) and urban school leaders’ navigation of inequitably funded school districts. Dr. Gilzene’s current publications explore these topics while leaning on various critical theories and historical perspectives. He is a scholar passionate about equity in K-12 educational spaces, challenging systemic racism/hegemony in educational policy through community-oriented action and pushing to create space in educational research that respects the stories of historically marginalized people.

Dr. Gilzene has occupied several roles in the education field. In 2013 he served as an AmeriCorps volunteer through the program City Year for the Miami-Dade County Public Schools. He also served as an administrator for a charter school network in Philadelphia, PA, and a Restorative Justice Facilitator for the Lansing and Holt School Districts in Michigan. Before joining the faculty at Florida State, Dr. Gilzene completed his doctorate in K-12 Educational Administration with a concentration in Urban Education at Michigan State University (2021). He received his Master of Education Policy at the University of Pennsylvania (2015) and obtained his bachelor’s degree in Classical Language and Literature at the University of Miami (2013).

Dr. Gilzene teaches the following courses:

EDF5461 – Introduction to Program Evaluation

EDA5219 – Resource Management for School Leaders