Written by: Reagan Flowers, Ph.D. As we near the end of the first full school year affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, districts around the country are making decisions about the near future. That includes the availability of summer school classes and altering schedules to help students catch up on lost time and progress. The Importance […]
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Historically Black Colleges Step Up with New Programs
Written by: Reagan Flowers, PhD Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) provide culturally responsive environments and play an essential role in bringing together students who have had marginalized lived experiences. Studies have shown that even though an equal number of Black students begin college majoring in STEM fields, they do not continue. A third of minority students […]
Science Careers Still Greatly Lack Diversity
Written by: Reagan Flowers, PhD As a community focused on improving underserved students’ opportunities, we are all keenly aware of the lack of women and Black scientists. However, every time I dig in and look at the numbers, they are still overwhelming. There is simply more to be done. We’re continually taking steps forward, but turning […]
How the Government Can Address Education Needs
Written by: Reagan Flowers, PhD It’s a new year, and even more importantly, a new administration has stepped in. Following drops across the board in enrollment in 2020 — from Kindergarten to college — it’s time to take a serious look at the opportunity to improve education for the future, especially concerning STEM for economically disadvantaged students. Learning gaps […]
College Enrollment Dropped Drastically
Written by: Reagan Flowers, PhD The harsh effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on education have reached another level of concern. Recent numbers have shown that the decline in U.S. college enrollment doubled in fall 2020 compared to fall 2019. Enrollment was 3.6% lower than in 2019. That’s more than 560,000 students. As soon as schools started closing […]
Equity in STEM: How We Take Action
Written by: Reagan Flowers, PhD Improving equity in STEM education is an ongoing journey. I have been passionate about this effort throughout my work in education. It will take much more action in the coming decades to move the needle. As a community of educators, parents and supporters, there are many ways to improve equity […]
Taking a Look at Our Biases
Written by: Reagan Flowers, PhD In the midst of one of the most trying years in recent decades, and with the election approaching, conflict and controversy continue to run high. One way we can examine any situation, including approaching how we serve all students adequately, begins by taking a look at our own personal biases. […]
Big Steps Backward for Early Learning
Written by: Reagan Flowers, PhD Having passed the sixth-month of the impacts of COVID-19, we’ve now seen schools close and reopen. We’ve seen the cancellation of standardized tests. We’ve seen parents and students struggling to keep up and get the resources they need, especially the most economically disadvantaged families and minorities. Now we’re seeing something […]
2020 Will Permanently Change Education
With the COVID-19 pandemic followed immediately by the escalation of the Black Lives Matter movement, everything has changed this year. Classrooms are operating with remote learning, and in some cases, there are students attending classes and others attending school from home. We are now re-examining how to address injustice and inequality in many facets of […]
Honoring A Trailblazing Woman in the Area of STEM: Dr. Reagan Flowers
Written by: Jeffrey L. Boney There has been a lot of buzz surrounding the Academy Award-nominated film Hidden Figures, which features an all-star cast of professionals who bring to life on the big screen the lives of three African American women (Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughn and Mary Jackson). The math and STEM-related contributions of these three […]
Our Push for Equity Should Focus on Grassroots Organizations
Written by: Reagan Flowers, PhD In the dawn of this awakening moment our nation is experiencing, it is critically important we take a closer look at how we are addressing equity right here at home in Houston. We must examine equity from the perspective of providing financial support for our grassroots community organizations who are […]
Impact on College Plans
Written By: Reagan Flowers, PhD The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Plan A and B for some high school seniors who intended to take the SAT or ACT for the first time this semester, or to improve upon their scores. Those options are now off the table. The College Board has canceled all tests through the […]