Chandler Patton Miranda is Assistant Professor of Education at Molloy University, an anthropologist of education, and a former high school teacher. Her work is rooted in a deep commitment to understanding and improving the educational experiences of recently arrived immigrant youth. She studies how schools and educators navigate the pressures of exclusionary policies, accountability mandates, and a hostile political climate—while also imagining new ways of creating classrooms and school communities where students feel a sense of belonging and can thrive.

Her book, Sanctuary School (Harvard Education Press, 2025), draws on years of ethnographic research in immigrant-serving schools and tells the story of how educators move beyond simply protecting students to innovating, empowering, and building schools that challenge systemic inequities. Through this work, she hopes to provide insights and encouragement to teachers, school leaders, and policymakers working every day to support immigrant and multilingual learners.

Chandler’s scholarship has appeared in Harvard Educational Review, Anthropology & Education Quarterly, Leadership and Policy in Schools, and Equity & Excellence in Education. Before becoming a professor, she spent seven years teaching high school science in Texas and Colombia. That experience continues to shape her approach to research and teaching, bridging theory and practice, and honoring the wisdom of both educators and students.

She also works beyond the university, organizing locally in New York City to support immigrant families navigating schools and resettlement. Originally from Texas, she now lives in Brooklyn with her husband, Luis, and their two children, who continue to inspire her work as a scholar, teacher, and advocate.