Our Journey

Commitment Statement Coming Soon

By 2027, we will support 3,000 formal and informal educators across the U.S. through high-quality and culturally-responsive STEM professional learning. We plan to engage 100 educators from marginalized communities/populations in co-designing these professional learning opportunities that build from an assets-based mindset leveraging the expertise, lived experiences, and equitable power already present. We will develop strategies influenced by culturally-responsive tools that examine both the barriers to high-quality professional learning and access to educators’ perspectives. We will strategically design educator programming and support to address different levels, interests, and entry points.

The Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College (MLFTC) at Arizona State University (ASU) is committed to STEM education workforce solutions to benefit learners, educators, and their communities. ASU’ MLFTC is a world-class college of education that excels at both educator preparation and research. Our college mission is to create knowledge, mobilize people, and take action to improve education. Our university charter urges us to assume fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural, and overall health of the communities we serve. As part of the MLFTC’s mission and charter, ASU’s MLFTC will provide better ways for people to enter, specialize, and advance in the STEM profession by 2029. Through our educator and leader preparation programs and professional learning programs, we commit to preparing 10% more educators who enter, specialize, and advance in STEM-related roles. MLFTC’s participation in this work contributes to the Beyond 100 Network’s efforts to prepare and retain STEM educators, especially those from diverse backgrounds so that learners from all backgrounds feel a sense of belonging.

By 2027, the Math Circle Network will provide professional development to at least 6,000 teachers annually, of whom the majority will teach in Title I schools, using well-tested materials designed to foster productive mathematical mindsets and sense of belonging especially among students from historically marginalized communities. Previous research has demonstrated that Math Teacher Circle (MTC) participation increases teachers’ sense of belonging, growth mindset, and mathematical identity, as well as their use of inquiry-oriented classroom practices. Over the course of the next 5 years, we will systematically refine existing professional development materials in response to the expressed needs of MTC teachers in Title I schools.

By 2027, the Math Circle Network will double the number of regional networks of Math Teacher Circles to 16 by partnering with state and local education agencies. Previous research has shown that Math Teacher Circle participation increases teachers’ sense of belonging as well as their engagement and leadership in the profession. By working closely with school administrators, we can ensure these mathematical communities are well integrated into teachers’ workplace culture.

Over the next five years, Math for America will continue to support ~1000 K-12 STEM educators per year across New York City and the ~100,000 students they serve by cultivating classrooms of STEM belonging with a special focus on the needs of BIPoC, LGBTQlA+, and multilingual students and teachers. This will be accomplished by building a robust selection of over 400 high quality PD offerings for educators each year aligned with equity and inclusion, CRSE, national STEM standards, relevant and cutting edge STEM content and pedagogy, and teacher leadership. This will result in transformative learning and leadership experiences that guide teachers in their classrooms, schools, and broader communities, ultimately contributing to STEM teachers remaining in the classroom long-term.

Over the next five years, Math for America Los Angeles (MfA LA) will retain 80 secondary school math and/or computer science (CS) educators in the greater Los Angeles area with a focus on serving Black, Latinx, and/or Native American students. By taking teachers’ needs seriously, respecting them as professionals, and caring for them as individuals, we aim to provide teachers with everything they need to teach ambitiously and equitably, while doing so with joy and confidence. MfA LA aspires to achieve a critical mass of highly-effective math and CS teacher leaders in the greater Los Angeles area so as to improve student learning and create more equity and justice. We estimate these efforts will impact learning for roughly 16,000 secondary school students per year.

MSU Denver’s School of Education (SOE) will recruit and prepare 212 Black, Latinx, and Native American STEM teachers by 2029. To do this we will: 1. Develop a campaign about teaching as a profession that elevates the voices of SOE alumni educators of color as ambassadors of the profession. 2. Leverage existing initiatives that recruit and prepare candidates of color (e.g. Call Me MISTER, Hawkins Grant) 3. Ensure preparation programs consist of culturally relevant and sustaining pedagogy for all aspiring teachers. 4. Infuse preparation programs with trauma-informed practices. 5. Support social-emotional wellness of candidates through alliance groups. 6. Provide diverse mentors who receive appropriate instruction and compensation.

MIND Research is committed to developing high quality, effective instructional aids and resources that will engage approximately 1,000 teachers in the learning process over the next 5 years, with the goal of elevating the learning atmosphere for all learners, especially Black, Latinx and/or Native American students. In order to accomplish this goal, MIND Research will partner with students, teachers, administrators, and parents all over the United States. We have committed to true collaboration and data gathering on improving the student experience in the learning process. These partnerships are designed to elevate and highlight student and teacher assets, especially the assets of Black, Latinx, and/or Native American students. These partnerships are critical and will continue over the next 5 years as we seek to empower all students to see themselves as mathematicians.

Over the next 5 years, MiSTEM will continue its investment in a networked approach across its 16 regions in Michigan, and in statewide action areas for science and engineering, math, and computer science with a focus on cultivating STEM classrooms that center belonging. In the past year, we grew from providing over 200,000 youth with project-, problem-, or place-based (3P) learning experiences either directly or through educator experiences to over 350,000, we anticipate this number will continue to grow as we engage more partners in our regional and state networks. With over 18,000 underrepresented educators and students participating in our networked activities, MiSTEM commits to focusing state resources in minoritized communities, through local and state partnerships, while supporting the system to shift towards transdisciplinary, authentic 3P learning opportunities. MiSTEM will employ a 3P, community/partner-based strategy as a key tool for recruiting future educator talent and retention.

Mouse commits to working primarily with Title I NYC public schools to deliver computer science professional development workshops to 500 teachers by 2027. Mouse provides a curriculum that is engaging, and allows teachers and students to explore issues relevant to their communities while providing ongoing coaching support as teachers teach the curriculum. The coaching will support teachers as they gain CS skills and support them to stay in the profession. We will work with five higher education and professional organizations working in design, technology, and engineering to advise, validate, and endorse Mouse courses.

The Museum is committed to being a source of inclusive and equitable science learning and resources. Supporting in-service science teachers through professional development contributes to making science accessible. With an inspired teacher, all students can become proficient in science when they regularly use the tools and practices of science. We commit to increasing the self-efficacy for equitable and effective three-dimensional science instruction (where students are expected to make sense of phenomena and develop solutions to problems) of at least 500 teachers of science in grades 3 through 8 over the next five years. Our goal is to select cohorts of teachers who, in aggregate, will serve a student population with the following demographic: 67% low-income, 35% Black, and 35% Latinx. To support teachers in fostering their students’ sense of belonging in STEM, our staff will implement principles of Universal Design for Learning and co-develop locally relevant phenomena in our programs.

By 2029, NAF will support 6,250 high school STEM educators to cultivate classrooms of STEM belonging, with a focus on the needs of under-resourced student populations including students of color and those who live in low-income households. We will do this by providing educators with direct professional development support and resources, including KnoPro.org [powered by NAF], which facilitates virtual work-based learning opportunities with STEM industry professionals, as well as NAF’s Work-Based Learning Tracker, which allows educators to ensure equitable participation in work-based learning activities and students to reflect on the experiences. As a result of these efforts, educators will be better positioned to instruct students in industry-relevant curriculum and help them build relevant employability skills. Students will be well-informed on STEM career options and better prepared to succeed in college and STEM industries. This will impact learning for approximately 325,000 high school students over five years.

By 2029, Nashville Teacher Residency will recruit 73 STEM teachers, with 100% serving in schools that primarily serve Black, Latinx, and Native American students. To achieve this, we will:

• Add a STEM Lead Recruiter to our recruitment team.
  Utilize a Site Manager for our recruitment team to improve communication with principals and schools.
• Intentionally embed STEM practices into our Lead Teaching and Subject Methods courses.
• Provide our STEM Site Managers with professional development focused on STEM practices.

Additionally, NTR will increase and sustain licensure exam passage rates for BIPOC STEM candidates to an annual rate of at least 75% by 2029. To achieve this, we will:

• Offer targeted Praxis preparation workshops designed specifically for STEM candidates, emphasizing data-informed instruction, aligned content preparation, and test-taking strategies.
• Provide access to free study materials tailored to licensure exam content areas.
• Embed licensure exam preparation into our coursework to ensure alignment with tested content while preparing them for the content beyond the test.
• Pair candidates with mentors or tutors who have successfully passed the exams to provide guidance and support.
• Regularly review licensure exam data to identify gaps and implement tailored interventions to address them.

Commitment Statement Coming Soon

The National Association of Black STEM Teachers (NABST) commits to enhancing STEM education for Black educators by fostering a supportive network, promoting equity and belonging, and increasing teaching capacity. Through targeted initiatives and partnerships, we aim to:

Expand STEM teaching capacity for Black educators by providing resources and professional development in areas such as curriculum design, instructional strategies, policy advocacy, and leadership. These resources also address issues related to culturally responsive teaching and equity-focused STEM education.
Foster collaborative partnerships by building strong connections with organizations such as K-12 and higher educational institutions, STEM-related corporations, nonprofit groups, and advocacy networks. These partnerships aim to create mentorship opportunities, share best practices, and enhance access to educational tools and technologies that support the retention of Black STEM educators.

We promote equity and belonging for all STEM-focused educators by creating inclusive learning environments within K-12 schools and higher educational institutions that prioritize culturally responsive teaching and social-emotional learning. We provide professional development to foster positive, inclusive school cultures.

By 2029, we will have hosted at least ten national events to raise awareness of equity in STEM education, including conferences, workshops, and community forums. We will measure our progress through data-driven evaluation and continuous improvement, aiming to serve and retain at least 500 Black STEM teachers and teacher leaders by creating pathways for professional growth, leadership opportunities, and ongoing support.

We prioritize initiatives that directly support Black STEM educators and students, such as mentorship programs, culturally responsive curricula, and community-building events that create spaces for connection and empowerment. Our work will catalyze broader change in the STEM ecosystem by advocating for equity and inclusion through policy advocacy, public awareness campaigns, and supporting research highlighting the value of diverse perspectives in STEM.

Through strategic partnerships, knowledge sharing, and advocacy, we will drive systemic improvements that benefit all learners by ensuring that more students have access to high-quality, equitable STEM education that reflects the richness of diverse voices and backgrounds.

By 2027, we will develop strategies and messaging to ensure that 30% of National Board candidates are STEM teachers. We will share those recruitment strategies and messaging with Beyond 100K partners. Of those 30%, 60%+ will support a majority of BiPOC students and at least 35% will be BiPOC STEM teachers. We are committed to strengthening the teaching workforce in some of the most challenging contexts. Research indicates that the NB certification process supports teacher retention and professional growth. NBCTs remain in the profession longer than their non-certified colleagues, with one analysis finding that school systems retain NBCTs at nearly 4 times the rate they retain non-certified teachers. We are opening up access to educators interested in the Board certification process by allowing candidates to begin the process before completing 3 years of successful teaching. This policy opens access and removes barriers to educators by allowing them to begin the process of Board certification before completing 3 years of successful teaching and serves as a retention strategy to support STEM teachers. Research shows that teachers’ engagement with NB Standards and pursuit of NB Certification improve practice and retention.

By 2027, we will retain more BiPOC STEM teachers by incorporating emerging best practices for supporting BiPOC educators, such as affinity networks and mentorship, into the supports for educators pursuing NB certification and support BiPOC NBCT leaders. We will examine the barriers that BiPOC educators face in their pursuit of Board certification and work to address those challenges. We will center the professional learning needs and expertise of BiPOC educators in all we do to recruit, support, and retain NB candidates. We will partner with and leverage the expertise of the National Board Network of Accomplished Minoritized Educators in the work to recruit and support BiPOC educators pursuing Board certification. We will also work with our partners to more effectively support BiPOC candidates and center the expertise of BiPOC NBCTs as leaders to define accomplished teaching based on their classroom evidence of practice critically positioning BiPOC as leaders and mentors.

The NB commits to revising all certificate area standards in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The NB is taking the time to ensure this standard is robust and comprehensive, forward-thinking and garners widespread support from educators, parents, students, and leaders and has a clear pathway to adoption and successful implementation.

As an organization, we are committed to ensuring that all teachers know that they belong in the National Board community. We are actively working to center the lived experiences, professional expertise, and lived experiences of educators who have been most marginalized in education systems. In partnership with BiPOC educators, we developed a DEI toolkit for our staff and partners to examine the following from a diversity, inclusion and belonging lens: their own beliefs, values and practices; their outreach and recruitment efforts, and their facilitation and support systems. We are committed to do the work internally and with our partners to ensure that all teachers feel welcome and know that they belong in the NB community — that it is their community.

National Center for Teacher Residencies is making three commitments to support teacher preparation, retention, representation and belonging. First, NCTR will support our teacher residency partner programs to advocate for state and federal policies that benefit teacher residency development, sustainability, and funding. Second, NCTR will continue the Black Educators Initiative (BEI) through 2025, and seek funding sources for Initiatives supporting other racial/ethnic groups of underrepresented teachers. We commit to sharing the impact of BEI to encourage continued investment in impactful strategies that increase the number of teachers of color in the profession and intentionally work to remove barriers to entry to the profession. Third, we commit to focus on belonging by supporting our teachers to cultivate classrooms of belonging, and schools to cultivate workplaces of belonging, with a focus on Black, Latinx, and Native American students and teachers by developing tools for supporting teacher residency leaders with selecting hiring sites for resident teachers that exemplify the characteristics of a strong commitment to inclusion and belonging and affirm teacher residents’ cultural and lived experiences.

Over the next five years, NCGE will promote the importance of STEM within the geography education community by expanding participation in the National GIS Competition to include all 50 states and territories and grow student/teacher participation by 50%. Additionally, NCGE will provide 15 STEM focused professional development tracks through its educator webinar series and sessions during the annual conference. In year one we will be collecting baseline data and building growth targets, with the goal of impacting 200 classroom educators and their students.

Commitment Statement Coming Soon

By 2029, the National Council on Teacher Quality will drive improvements in the teacher pipeline, compensation structures, and state teacher data systems in order to make specific policies and resource allocations that will help recruit and retain teachers, with a focus on the needs of Black, Latinx, and/or Native American students through lifting up best practices in teacher preparation to diversify the candidate pool, share how states and district use strategic pay to attract and reward STEM educators, and model how states can build data systems that help predict their future teacher workforce needs. As a result of these efforts, preparation programs, districts, and states will implement policies and practices that will attract and retain a strong, diverse workforce, and students will experience an inclusive environment where they will love learning and be able to achieve their own life goals. This will impact learning by reducing the number of schools with high percentages of students of color reporting they had STEM vacancies and student achievement in math and science increasing for all students, but particularly for Black, Latinx, and Native American students.