Michael Beiersdorf is a National Board Certified equity-driven educator who believes passionately in the power of education to
transform students’ lives. He currently serves as the administrative coordinator for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Micro-Credentialing Program, where he is honored to play a role in supporting the growth and development of highly effective educators. In this role, he was responsible for developing and launching the LAUSD’s inaugural micro-credential in science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics (STEAM) during the 2018–2019 school year. The micro-credentialing process allows educators to cultivate expertise in identified areas, use data and reflection for improvement, and be recognized for their accomplishments in driving student learning. In addition
to his micro-credential work in STEAM, Beiersdorf has collaborated with partners inside and outside his district to develop and launch additional micro-credentials in various subject areas, all ultimately grounded in language and literacy with an equity lens.
Before leading the work of micro-credentialing within LAUSD’s Human Resources Division, Beiersdorf served as a district science
and STEAM content expert, where he designed and delivered professional learning for teachers and administrators that supported their implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards and STEAM instruction. Beiersdorf’s professional development expertise extends beyond science and STEAM, and he has led initiatives in various disciplines to build the capacity of all adults who interact with students. Audiences have included new and experienced teachers and administrators, paraprofessionals, and classified staff in both in-person
and virtual settings. As his district pivoted to distance learning at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, he led its Future Ready Certification, which was a collaborative effort to prepare approximately 14,000 educators to serve their students and families online. His work as a science and human resources administrator was preceded by 17 years as a science teacher for multilingual middle school students in Los Angeles and high school students in Tanzania, East Africa, where he served as a Peace Corps Education Volunteer. During his time teaching,
in addition to earning his National Board Certification in early adolescence science, Beiersdorf was honored to be selected as one of his district’s Teachers of the Year. He is currently in the process of completing the dissertation for his doctorate in education at California State University, Northridge, with a focus on science teacher professional development.
