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This slide deck summarizes findings from the Inclusive Mathematics Environments Early Career Fellowship about creating inclusive environments for students from minoritized and marginalized groups in mathematics, with a focus on the middle childhood through mid-adolescence developmental stage. Research completed by the fellows suggests five interrelated guiding principles for creating more inclusive mathematics environments: mathematics educators need critical consciousness; mathematics curriculum should reflect a more expansive view of mathematics, including the history of mathematical concepts, the uses of mathematics in different cultures, and the application of mathematics for understanding current events; mathematics curriculum and instruction should be adaptable so that it is relevant to the specific students in the class; mathematics curriculum and instruction should feature meaningful opportunities to engage in collaborative work; and assessment practices and policies should prioritize deep mathematical thinking, exploration, and collaboration. The deck outlines and contextualizes the research underlying these principles and suggests directions for future research.

This synthesis discusses both K-12 and postsecondary educational contexts, and includes research from diverse academic disciplines including social psychology, cultural psychology, sociology, adolescent development, neuroscience, economics, and education. It discusses structural factors related to belonging in four overlapping categories: access to learning environments; relationships with educators, peers, and families; instructional resources and pedagogy; and system-level policies and practices. Throughout, it identifies implications for system- and institution-level decision-makers in the education sector, who play a role in shaping students’ experiences of belonging just as much as classroom educators and peers do.