From the Classroom to Careers: A Quantitative Analysis of High School Longitudinal Data Examining How Culturally Responsive Teaching Shapes Mathematics Achievement, STEM Aspirations, and Early STEM Workforce Entry Among Students of Color

Abstract This dissertation examines how culturally responsive teaching shapes mathematics achievement and STEM outcomes for high school students of color using data from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09). Culturally responsive teaching, grounded in theories of cognition, sociocultural learning, and asset-based pedagogy, emphasizes instruction that validates students’ cultural identities, connects academic content to lived experiences, and fosters deeper engagement and academic