**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE URBAN AGRICULTURE AND LIFE SCIENCES ACADEMY (UALSA) WILL BUILD THE CAPACITY OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATORS TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF URBAN AGRICULTURALISTS BY INCREASING ENGAGEMENT, KNOWLEDGE ACQUISITION, AND KNOWLEDGE RETENTION OF STUDENTS USING CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE PEDAGOGY. FOR THIS PROJECT, 36 AGRICULTURAL EDUCATORS FROM SEVERAL URBAN HIGH SCHOOLS WITH WELL-ESTABLISHED AGRICULTURE PROGRAMS WILL BE SELECTED FOR MEMBERSHIP INTO THE ACADEMY AND RECEIVE 15 HOURS OF TRAINING THROUGH FACE-TO-FACE INSTRUCTION AND FIELD EXPERIENCES ON HOW TO IDENTIFY AND EMBED CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE EXAMPLES INTO THEIR AGRICULTURE AND LIFE SCIENCES (ALS) CURRICULUM FOR NONTRADITIONAL AGRICULTURE STUDENTS. THE GOAL OF THIS CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE CURRICULUM IS TO ENCOURAGE STUDENT IDENTITY EXPRESSION, INCREASE PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS, AND STRENGTHEN CAREER ASPIRATIONS RELATED TO ALS IN URBAN SETTINGS. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES FOR THIS FOUR-YEAR PROJECT ARE: 1) THE 36 INAUGURAL UALSA MEMBERS WILL DEVELOP 180 CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE LESSONS IN ANIMAL SCIENCE, FOOD SCIENCE, HORTICULTURE, AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS AND FINANCE, AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY, AND AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION OVER A 2-YEAR PERIOD; 2) ALL 180 LESSONS WILL BE PILOTED IN THE PARTNER SCHOOLS AND APPROPRIATE REVISIONS MADE; 3) A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION OF THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION WILL BE CONDUCTED TO ASSESS TEACHER SELF-EFFICACY, STUDENT ENGAGEMENT, AND STUDENT INTENT RELATED TO ALS; AND 4) AGRICULTURE AND SCIENCE EDUCATORS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY WILL BE RECRUITED TO JOIN THE UALSA. AS MEMBERS OF THE UALSA, EDUCATORS WILL GAIN ACCESS TO THE CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, THE ALS CURRICULUM, AND PEER SUPPORT THROUGH AN URBAN AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE.