Kristen Hengtgen is Lead II, College and Career Readiness on the P-12 policy team. She focuses on policies and practices that advocate for educational equity and increased access to and success in rigorous, culturally sustaining coursework that prepares students of color and students from low-income backgrounds for college, career, and beyond.
Prior to joining Ed Trust, Kristen worked as senior researcher at the Florida College Access Network, where she collaborated with state partners to promote college access and attainment for all Floridians, and especially first-generation college students, adult learners, and students from low-income backgrounds. She has also worked as an academic advisor at Indiana University.
A native of metro Detroit, Kristen holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Indiana University-Bloomington, a master’s of Education in History and Philosophy of Education from Indiana University-Bloomington, and bachelor’s degrees in History and Secondary Education from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
Superpower
Deadlifting
Favorite Sports Team
University of Michigan basketball
What drew you to education?
I love history and the teachers who helped me see that history was not about memorizing names and dates but being a detective and puzzle solver. I wanted to be like them. Yet in my student teaching experience, I was shocked by the disparities in resources across schools in metro Detroit. These deep injustices, and reckoning with my own ignorance of them, sparked an interest in understanding more about the history of education policy, to understand how we got to this place, and think through what we can do to generate lasting change.
Author Archives
Why Environmental Justice Is Educational Justice
Without education and action on climate change, students of color and students from low-income backgrounds will bear the brunt of its effects
The Impacts of the Los Angeles Wildfires: Lessons for Schools Nationwide
Devastating wildfires in Southern California in early January 2025 were historic in scale and impact
A Vision for Equitable Pathways: Enhancing Support and Innovation in College and Career Counseling
Pathways help students move from P-12 to college & career more seamlessly. EdTrust & All4Ed report explains the ideal system.
Why Education Equity Should Include Climate Justice
Climate change is a top issue among teachers, students, and parents, which is why Education Equity must include Climate Justice.
Breaking Down the Nation’s Math Scores
2023 NAEP math scores are in and it’s clear students of color were impacted by the pandemic.
Increasing Access to Advanced Coursework in Texas
This brief provides data analyses and a scan of policies and practices in Texas for advocates, educators, and policymakers who are leading the work at the state level to increase access to advanced coursework for Black and Latino students.
Increasing Access to Advanced Coursework in Massachusetts
These resources are designed to help advocates, educators, and policymakers compare best practices and make informed decisions at the state level on advanced coursework for students.
Increasing Access to Advanced Coursework in Kentucky
This brief provides data analyses and a scan of policies and practices for advocates, educators, and policymakers who are leading the work to increase access to advanced coursework for Black and Latino students.
Increasing Access to Advanced Coursework in Washington
This brief provides data analyses and a scan of policies and practices in Washington for advocates, educators, and policymakers who are leading the work at the state level to increase access to advanced coursework for Black and Latino students.
Concerned About NAEP Long-Term Trend Results? There is a Path Forward
The recent NAEP long-term trend results are a concerning confirmation of the effect of unfinished learning on Black and Latino students and students from low-income backgrounds and reveal the scale…
Middle School Math Should be a Door Opener, not a Gatekeeper
All students are “math people.” Yet often, the current ways in which math is taught often leaves many Black and Latino students out of the equation. All students must be…
5 State Policy Recommendations Fostering STEM Aspirations for Students of Color in Middle School
Math and science are for everyone. But unfortunately, many students, and especially Black and Latino students, don’t receive that…
Educators Speak Up About How to Teach Climate Change
April is Earth Month — and this year’s awareness efforts come just weeks after the release of the latest international report that paints a dire picture of the future of…
Who Belongs in STEM?
In 10th grade, my high school math teacher casually told me that I “just wasn’t a math person.” I believed him immediately. Why wouldn’t I? He was the expert. I…