Belonging in STEM

“Teachers are the most powerful force fostering a sense of belonging in STEM,” says Talia Milgrom-Elcott, the founder and executive director of Beyond100K. Milgrom-Elcott is clear that “belonging is not just a nice to have - it’s essential.” Thus, the mission of Beyond100K, formerly called 100Kin10, is to prepare and retain 150,000 new STEM teachers by 2032, with an emphasis on Black, Latinx, and Native American teachers and communities.

This mission aligns with ours at LabXchange. We’re determined to expand equitable access to high-quality STEM education, and committed to helping all educators and students succeed. That’s why we’re proud to be one of over 130 organizations joining Beyond100K to bring this goal to fruition. Collaboratively, we can end the STEM teacher shortage while incorporating a stronger sense of equity and belonging in science classrooms.

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A New Moonshot Goal

Beyond100K launched in 2011 as 100Kin10 in response to former President Barack Obama’s call to train 100,000 new STEM educators by 2021. After surpassing their initial goal, Beyond100K is now aiming even higher. Read about Beyond100K’s new moonshot goal.

‍To help foster a sense of belonging in STEM classrooms, LabXchange will soon launch two new clusters as part of our Racial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Science Education (RDEISE) project. One cluster will provide high school educators with high-quality learning materials and inclusive teaching tools to use in their classrooms. The other cluster is designed for students in high school and college, and invites them to engage with, recognize, and rectify systemic racism in science.

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Next Steps

What’s more, by 2025 LabXchange will develop a teacher ambassador program for 500 highly motivated educators. The ambassador program will offer specialized training in leadership and instructional design. LabXchange is committed to recruiting for the program in schools that serve majority Black, Latinx, and Native American students.  

The research is clear: students respond better to teachers and perform better academically when they feel a sense of belonging in the classroom. LabXchange is excited to help foster this sense of belonging in STEM classrooms through the RDEISE project, and as a member of the Beyond100K network.

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