Document Type

Article

Abstract

The global teacher shortage is a persistent challenge that has become more acute since the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in STEM subject areas. Using ten years of statewide higher education enrollment data, the MassTeach program was developed as a regional strategy, coordinating efforts by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education and faculty across the community college (2-year) and state university (4-year) systems, to increase participation in the STEM teacher workforce. Recognizing that enrollment at community colleges is a socioeconomic reflection of their surrounding communities, which are underrepresented in the STEM education pipeline, MassTeach coordinated supports to facilitate student transfer from 2- to 4-year institutions toward earning a teaching license in a STEM field. Tracking MassTeach participant data afforded the opportunity to visualize individuals’ progression within this statewide context. Data showed that the MassTeach program supports helped facilitate participant progression from community college to teaching licensure; however, no single support was identified as sufficient. The coordinated supports of MassTeach highlighted the importance of intentional efforts to engage with all students and the flexibility required to respond to their ongoing needs in pursuit of their career goals. © 2026 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Publication Title

Cogent Education

Publication Date

2026

Volume

13

Issue

1

ISSN

2331-186X

DOI

10.1080/2331186X.2026.2635799

Keywords

community college, STEM education, teacher development, teacher preparation, teacher recruitment

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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