All children are curious about the world around them. They ask questions; observe carefully; experiment; measure; and wonder about why and how things work, grow, and change. Families and communities are central in launching and sustaining the learning journeys of children. For many young people, school is not always a place that cultivates their natural curiosity or effectively partners with families and communities to leverage meaningful learning, especially in mathematics and science. Many current school practices in mathematics and science rely on curricular approaches and testing and placement systems that have led to limited learning outcomes that are not aligned with a thriving and civically engaged democracy.
Culturally responsive and sustaining education (CRSE) in math and science serves as a crucial path to deeper learning in a civically engaged democracy by enhancing disciplinary understanding, making space for meaning making, and connecting disciplinary learning with cultural repertoires of practice. This approach positions math and science teaching and learning as empowering activities that can benefit local and global communities. In this paper we (a) examine the state of the evidence of CRSE in mathematics and science education over the past 15 years, (b) identify priority areas for research and action, and (c) offer research and policy recommendations that can bolster positive and long-lasting shifts in how students experience mathematics and science learning in and beyond the classroom.
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