Empowering LA Students for STEM Success

K-12 STEAM education

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Despite being one of the fastest-growing job sectors in the US, STEM—Science, Technology, Engineering & Math—fields persist in their underrepresentation of Black and Latinx people. In a 2021 study, the Pew Research Center notes that Latinx and Black workers accounted for 8% and 9% of the STEM workforce, respectively, compared to overall workforce representation of 17%, Latinx, and 11%, Black. Similar trends persist for both groups when the focus shifts to earning STEM degrees, the first step to successfully pursuing STEM careers and the promise of economic mobility. To promote a more diverse STEM workforce, new investments and supports are needed to ensure students of color have equitable access to the crucial resources and opportunities that prepare them for success in the STEM pipeline: high-quality K-12 math and science curricula, enrichment activities and culturally responsive, identity-affirming supports and interventions.

The Partnership for Los Angeles Schools (Partnership) is excited to expand our K-PhD program (K-PhD) during the 2024-25 school year (SY2024-25). Developed and first piloted by us in SY2020-21, K-PhD is a remarkable opportunity that urban public schools seldom offer: the intensive academic enrichment and experiential learning needed to prepare students to become future STEM leaders—and even earn their PhD.
K-PhD provides low-income students of color in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD, District) with a coherent, school-based enrichment program of advanced STEM coursework, community-building activities and direct support. Participating students build problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, all while developing a strong math/science identity and exploring the transformative power of STEM. Through K-PhD, we hope to increase the number of Black and Latinx students ready to pursue STEM degrees and careers; and model a way that LAUSD can do the same at scale across Los Angeles.
The Partnership is well-suited to offer K-PhD because we engage in school transformation by managing 20 LAUSD public schools--in Watts, South LA and Boyle Heights--serving 13,500 students. K-PhD is free to Partnership/LAUSD students (K-12) interested in STEM subjects or fields, and runs annually, Sept-May. In SY2024-25, we intend to increase student participation by 20%, from 250 to 300, and launch a new component that provides one-on-one mentoring to students with the greatest abilities.

We are expanding K-PhD with a clear framework for advanced STEM enrichment that provides the flexibility for each school to adapt the program to fit the needs of its specific school community. Some schools schedule K-PhD as student electives during the school day; others hold the program after school in the form of engineering clubs and competitive math teams. Beyond the benefits to participants, the program helps school sites develop a campus-wide culture that elevates student curiosity and engagement in STEM, providing a pathway forward. We are incubating K-PhD as a proof of concept for LAUSD—offering a scalable, sustainable enrichment model for historically underserved students, who typically lack preparation to thrive in a STEM pipeline. We understand LAUSD’s math landscape: for three years, we have been collaborating with LAUSD in its districtwide implementation of high-quality math materials first piloted by the Partnership. These curricula are now in 75% of District schools.

The K-PhD program measures our impact on students’ academic skills and personal mindsets through a mixture of academic assessments, program engagement, and surveys of social-emotional learning (SEL). To ensure students are entering college with a foundation of strong academic skills, we measure academic growth through SAT results, grades and other academic assessments. To assess student participants’ personal growth and engagement with the program, the Partnership measures changes in attitudes and beliefs towards STEM, attendance and enrollment in the program, and successful completion of coursework. We utilize surveys to assess whether students demonstrate increasing math interest and identity, positive attitudes towards the K-PhD program, and a growth mindset. In the 2023-24 school year, for example, over 90% of K-PhD 5th grade students pursued and succeeded at challenging STEM enrichment activities – a promising indicator of future success in pursuit of a STEM degree and career.