Diversifying the STEMM Ecosystem Starts with Our Teachers
By Erika Shugart, PhD
Achieving equity in STEMM has to start with early introductions to the STEMM ecosystem and must focus on maximizing access to quality STEMM education for all students.
Studies show that inequities in STEMM achievement start as early as kindergarten and persist throughout K-12 education. A recent study that followed more than 10,000 students found that in kindergarten, between 12-16% of white children scored above the 90th percentile on math and science tests, but only 3-4% of Black or Hispanic children had the same achievement. By fifth grade, approximately 13% of white children, but only 1-3% of Black or Hispanic children, were classified in the top 10% of science and math achievement.
If we allow these STEMM discrepancies to persist, we will not only be doing a disservice to the next generation, we’ll be undercutting our entire country’s ability to innovate and lead.
At the National Science Teaching Association, we believe that science literacy and education are vital for our society’s future. Teaching about the nature of science and providing rich science learning experiences that are authentic and relevant enables students to be effective decisionmakers beyond the classroom, which in turn creates a population ready to take on the biggest collective challenges of our time. A community of STEMM educators that provides early access to quality STEMM education, followed by consistent support and encouragement of scientific endeavors, is essential to building more opportunity in marginalized communities and creating a more just society.
It is well-evidenced that science educators play a critical role in diversifying the STEMM ecosystem. Studies show that having a teacher of the same race/ethnicity has significant benefits to student motivation and achievement, but we are a long way from the levels of teacher parity needed in K-12 education. Currently, nearly 50% of public-school students identify as Black, Indigenous, or a person of color, but 79.3% of public-school teachers identify as white.
We need more teachers from diverse backgrounds, but the pathway to becoming a science educator is often wrought with obstacles for marginalized groups. A 2022 study found that when students enter college with equal qualifications, white males are rewarded more richly for their grades in introductory STEMM courses than students from underrepresented populations.
To achieve equity in STEMM, we must make the pathway to becoming a science educator more accessible so that we have more STEMM teachers who represent the communities they educate.
NSTA’s Strategic Plan outlines tactics we must employ to transform science education to benefit all. These include:
Presenting strategies to provide equitable and inclusive science education for all students.
Developing and providing opportunities for every learner to be successful in science.
Recruiting and empowering diverse teachers who are equipped to create inclusive and equitable learning opportunities.
Identifying and removing barriers to becoming a science educator to diversify the workforce.
Building a science educator workforce that reflects the students they teach will require significant changes at the local, state, and federal level. These include additional funding, commitments to diverse hiring, and support for continued professional development. We’re proud to work with the STEMM Opportunity Alliance and our partners in K-12 education and beyond. Together, we can ensure that each and every student has equal access to science education and that each and every teacher has the support they need to educate the next generation of scientists.
Dr. Erika Shugart is the executive director of the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA), the world's largest professional organization representing science educators of all grade levels.