This article, relying on a series of epiphanies throughout my journey as a researcher and scholar-activist, shares my relationship with criticality and how it has guided my research and teaching agendas. I share how critical theories have informed my main research areas and the questions and issues I have raised in my own work. The article also…

Black male teachers are less than two percent of all current teachers in the United States. However, there has been an effort to recruit and retain Black men into the teaching profession for a number of reasons. All students benefit when they have a Black male teacher. Black boys, in particular, have markedly higher test scores and improved…

Hiring and retaining teachers of color is one approach that policymakers can use to support improved academic achievement and opportunities for racially and ethnically diverse students. National data show that while the student population is becoming more diverse, the teacher workforce remains largely white and female. While teachers from all…

This article emerges from the collaborative work of Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) scholars and administrators. From their perspectives as acting HSI leaders, the authors examine research/programs/practices [relevant to their institutions] pertaining to attracting, preparing, employing, and retaining Latina/o/x/Hispanic teachers. Research and…

In this article, author Annie Nguyen describes her personal encounters with the "Model Minority Myth" as a young Vietnamese American in a doctoral program. This myth assumes that all Asian Americans are inherently smart and high achieving, which is problematic when in fact there are many Asian American individuals who perform poorly.…

Last year, when students at Ridgecrest Intermediate School in Palos Verdes, California, were asked to name scientists, their answers--Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Bill Nye the Science Guy--reflected a common perception. Most of the leading scientists they came up with were white, male, or dead. Although women and people of…

It is not easy to "come out" as a teacher, particularly at the middle school level. The overwhelming reason to come out is to make school a safer place for youth who know, think, or fear they are lesbian, gay, or bisexual. Adolescence is hard enough without positive role models for every aspect of who one is or is striving to become.…

Extending democracy into schools so that every child has the opportunity to achieve is the topic of many books and conversations. The three Latina superintendents who coauthored this book do more than discuss the issue of equity in education--they live it. They grew up affected by it, taught students who needed it, and changed the minds of those…

The importance of effective principals to school reform is well-documented. But what makes a school principal an effective change agent, and how can a school board and district administrators assist in pushing their top site leaders to excellence? Many district and board leaders say it's all about vision, building trust with staff, and developing…

This article discusses why rising fees for graduate programs at University of California campuses threaten to undermine growth of underrepresented minorities (URMs) in health-science and other professions. Dental student Hector Godoy easily relates to his patients at a University of California, Los Angeles clinic. Like many of them, Godoy never…

With the increasing number of Latina and Latino students in California schools, the need was clear for a mentoring program that not only increased the growth rate, but also supported the retention rate of Latina and Latino school superintendents and educational leaders. Such leaders are most often perceived by Latina and Latino students as…

This paper draws from a case study of first year district implementation of the California Mentor Teacher Program in one of the largest districts in California. The paper focuses on the opportunities offered to teachers who work with mentors. Through the presentation of a selection of vignettes of teachers who worked with mentors, the paper…

An assistant principal describes longterm benefits from her mentoring relationship with the principal of Santa Monica (California) High School. Chagrined at her principal's close, hands-on supervisory style, the assistant principal gradually gained experience and confidence. She learned that leadership is about serving others, compassion, and…

This brochure highlights two successful ENLACE partnership programs that connect college aspirations with actual college attainment for Latino students: (1) The "ENLACE y Avance" (Advance) partnership, led by the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), whose innovative program of family home visits provides information about…

Describes the success of the Escalante Math Program in East Los Angeles in teaching mathematics to poor minority students. Fundamental principles of the program include the following: (1) accountability; (2) hard work; (3) demand; (4) love; (5) parental involvement; (6) respect and values; (7) nutrition; and (8) drug use prevention. Discusses…