Male Leaders in Education (MLE) Project Update

Organization Information

Lead Organization

CSUS College of Education/ Ed Equity Program

Who engaged in this project?

Sacramento State, Woodland High School, Valley High School, C.K. McClatchy High School, and Sacramento City College.

Funding Information

Total Funding Received

$62,620

Type of Funding Received

Workgroup Proposal

Student Information

Who were the intended beneficiaries?

Students of color, low-income learners, first-generation learners, rural learners, and male students.

How many students were served?

86 students

Program Information

The Male Leaders in Education (MLE) initiative is helping build a stronger and more representative educator pipeline across the region. Supported by the K-16 Collaborative’s Priority Student Populations Workgroup, thisproject brings together partners from Sacramento State, Sacramento City College, Elk Grove USD, Sacramento City USD, and Woodland Joint USD to support male students of color through a PK–20 pathway into education careers.

How is this project reaching high-priority or underserved student populations?

We have established Future Educator Clubs across three Title I high schools, creating a connected pipeline between aspiring students of color and Sacramento State educators of color. Through Sacramento State’s MLE program, participants visit local chapters weekly, building a formalized mentorship ecosystem with Sac State peers in counselor education and teacher credentialing programs.

Each school chapter has developed its own recruitment approach. Valley High engages students through identity-affirming programs like Young Men Rising and Improve Your Tomorrow (IYT), with alumni teachers recruiting directly from their classrooms. Woodland High, which serves English learners, foster youth, homeless students, and other high-need groups through Title III federal funding, is supported by four teacher advisors and school leadership, including the principal. McClatchy High has built a welcoming space for multicultural and multilingual students to discuss their K–12 experiences and higher education goals, and will soon host Sac State MLE members for firsthand college and career conversations.

Outreach at both Sac State and Sac City College has spanned affinity centers, high-priority student programs, campus bulletins, and social media, with direct outreach to students who indicated interest in a teaching credential via CSApply. Each MLE member receives personalized support around job placement, scholarships, and credentialing requirements. Note: Sac City College’s chapter is pending, as a campus policy requires 10 members before official club formation. Our application period closes in early 2026.

We are on track with our project proposal, having established MLE at 4 of 5 target institutions, with chapters showing strong growth — most exceeding recruitment expectations.

At Valley High School, the MLE chapter has been meeting bi-weekly with consistent participation from 20–25 students. Led by educator Roberto Robles, the sessions focus on helping young men reflect on their values, build confidence in their leadership potential, and explore careers in education. Students have engaged in conversations about what it means to support others in a school community, heard firsthand from Sacramento State MLE member Diego Monsivais about his journey into education, and collaborated on projects designed to positively impact their campus.

What Is Different Now Because of This Work?

At this time, all MLE chapters have shared a common vision and goals in creating spaces that support male students of color. At Sac State, MLE is providing a safe space for men of color who are interested in pursuing careers in education. So far, our progress is what we expected, though it took a bit longer than anticipated to launch due to campus guidelines around starting an official student club. However, our chapter has elected student leads who have started to develop their leadership abilities.

Other positive changes include MLE Sac State becoming more visible at campus events, the successful hiring of three paid student interns who will provide academic support in three local schools (two of which are MLE high school chapters), and Sac State MLE students gaining access to CSET and application fee waivers — bringing both excitement and financial relief for young men of color who have expressed financial need.

Valley High School students have been engaged with foundational information about becoming a teacher, with interest in salary, schedule, and future possibilities apparent among the majority of participants.

At C.K. McClatchy High School, students are reflecting and planning how they will respond to barriers and challenge the status quo.

We are fostering new connections between men of color interested in education, and developing the leadership capacity of our officers.

Unexpected Challenges

Several unexpected challenges arose, most related to slower-than-anticipated progress in forming new student organizations. Institutional guidelines at multiple campuses created logistical hurdles that were difficult to foresee — including requirements around club recognition, minimum membership thresholds, and mandatory workshops that, when announced late, pushed back our planned start dates.

Teacher and faculty capacity was another common challenge. Those most willing to serve as advisors were often already carrying full workloads, leaving limited time to plan, strategize, and recruit for MLE activities. As a result, most chapters didn’t hold their first meetings until late September or early October.

Maintaining consistent student participation has also proven difficult. While interest has been encouraging — over 35 students at Sac State alone have expressed interest — many have been unable to attend meetings regularly. We have continued to keep interested students on our email list and plan to have all participants registered with professional organizations such as Educators Rising and Aspiring Educators by early January 2026, allowing sufficient time to apply for scholarships.

Finally, launching at Sac City College has remained an ongoing challenge, as campus policy requires a minimum of 10 committed students to officially form a club — a threshold we have not yet been able to meet.

Insights for the Future

For those looking to build or strengthen MLE chapters, a few key lessons have emerged from our work this year. We are developing a chapter advisor handbook which includes a guiding curriculum with discussion themes applicable across all chapters. Advisors should be mindful of sensitive topics around identity, discrimination, mental health, and masculinity, as these conversations can be emotionally heavy and require trauma-informed facilitation and conflict resolution skills. Equally important is the principle that identity and representation matter — men of color may not see themselves reflected in teaching or leadership, making intentional mentorship and visible role models essential to recruitment and retention.

Consistency builds trust. Students benefit from regular meetings and reliable advisor support, which strengthens their sense of belonging and commitment. To set chapters up for success early, we provided each chapter with a dedicated budget and held an advisor orientation in late summer to build shared familiarity with MLE’s mission.

Finally, it’s worth naming directly: all chapter advisors have raised questions about long-term funding, and there is shared agreement that building an effective program takes time. The need is clear, and our collective commitment is to sustain and grow this work.