WSU Vancouver leads $2.6M project to boost STEM teacher diversity

Faculty at Washington State University Vancouver have received a $2.6 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to help close racial gaps in STEM education by creating better paths for underrepresented groups to become STEM teachers,

Kristin Lesseig, associate professor of mathematics and science education within the College of Education, is the principal investigator for the project, "Racial Equity in STEM Starts with Teacher Education." Co-investigators of the project include Shameem Rakha and Jessica Masterson, both associate professors in the College of Education.

The project is responding to a stark disparity in Washington state's educational workforce. While students of color make up nearly 50% of the state's K-12 population, only 14% of teachers are from similar backgrounds, according to the 2023-24 Washington State Report Card demographic data. Lesseig said she and her team aim to explore why teacher preparation programs have failed to keep pace with the growing diversity of the student population.

"We cannot disrupt this problematic racial mismatch in the K-12 classroom without addressing the policies and practices that foster disparities in our teacher preparation programs," Lesseig said.

The three-year exploratory project includes five regional teams, with WSU Vancouver acting as the primary research hub. Partner institutions include Eastern Washington University, Central Washington University, Seattle Pacific University, and Western Washington University, with the University of Washington Tacoma overseeing a Diversity Consulting Group in an advisory role. WSU Vancouver is slated to receive $604,643 of the total $2.6 million to lead research efforts.

In the first year, regional teams will conduct listening sessions with current students, alumni, and community members, particularly those from historically marginalized groups. These sessions will focus on identifying barriers to entering STEM teaching programs and understanding local community needs.

The second year will see the teams deepen their engagement with local communities, collaborating with leaders and partners to identify specific challenges and opportunities in each region. This collaborative effort will culminate in action plans aimed at revising policies and structures within teacher preparation programs to better support diverse candidates.

"Our goal is that this project will generate new knowledge about collaborative learning through a multi-institutional statewide coalition," Lesseig said. "Anticipated impacts include new recruitment and retention models for diversifying STEM teaching, new curricula to infuse culturally sustaining pedagogy into STEM teacher preparation, and new equity-minded structures and policies to guide program decisions."

Beyond the academic research, Lesseig said the project aims to create lasting community partnerships. Members of marginalized groups will be invited to join the project's leadership team, contributing directly to the development and implementation of strategies for addressing racial inequities in STEM education.