Funding and Amplifying HBCU-Trained Educators in K–12 Classrooms

• In Event: Amplifying HBCU Educator Impact: From Research to Practice in Teacher Diversity and Equity

Abstract

1. Objectives or Purposes
This presentation shares insights from new initiative, which supports and amplifies HBCU-trained educators in K–12 public schools. The goal is to examine how targeted funding, visibility, and national storytelling can advance teacher diversity and drive equitable change.

2. Perspective(s) or Theoretical Frameworks: Informed by asset-based and equity-centered frameworks, QTCit positions the lived experiences of Black educators as vital data for understanding and addressing inequities in education. The initiative recognizes HBCUs and their alumni as enduring institutions of cultural relevance that drive school transformation and student well-being.

3. Methods, Techniques, or Modes of Inquiry
This work draws from past mixed-methods research. It uses disaggregated educator data (race, alma mater, project history, school demographics) to surface patterns in engagement, funding success, and representation on the platform.

4. Data Sources, Evidence, Objects, or Materials
Findings are based on platform data from nearly 300,000 teachers of color—including over 9,000 HBCU alumni—paired with project funding trends, donor response data, and qualitative educator feedback. The work also draws on early insights from the upcoming HBCU alumni educator study.

5. Results and/or Substantiated Conclusions
Early findings highlight the profound impact Black male educators have on student belonging, engagement, and achievement, especially when their identities and training are recognized and affirmed. The initiative has shown that HBCU alumni experience greater visibility and classroom-level success when their contributions are centered through identity-affirming campaigns. These educators often serve as cultural anchors in their schools, modeling excellence and care in ways that resonate deeply with students of all backgrounds. The initiative reinforces the critical role HBCUs play in preparing educators who not only reflect the communities they serve but also transform the learning environment through culturally grounded teaching and leadership.

6. Scientific or Scholarly Significance of the Study or Work
The initiative demonstrates how public-facing platforms can serve as infrastructure for both resource redistribution and real-time insight into equity gaps in education. It contributes to teacher diversity literature by offering a scalable model for supporting HBCU alumni in the classroom, while generating data that informs broader pipeline and retention.

Author

• Kristina Joye Lyles, DonorsChoose