National Math and Science Initiative reviews

My tenure at NMSI was a stark contrast to the company's proclaimed mission. Despite lofty assertions of progressivism, the reality was a discordant, retaliatory, and aimless work environment that lacked transparency, accountability, and concern for the organizational mission. NMSI's professed commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) seemed performative and insubstantial. Internal systemic issues persisted, and efforts to address them were superficial at best. Leadership dismissiveness toward employee concerns and a lack of coherent direction contributed to a divisive and uncertain atmosphere. The company's financial and ethical downturn stemmed from its failure to innovate, an excessively top-heavy structure, operational inefficiencies, dwindling student support, and declining training attendance. These issues further highlighted a significant misalignment between the company's actions and its stated goals. The recent appointment of a new CEO, while a positive step, is insufficient to rectify the underlying problems. With the current COO, President, and certain upper management figures in place, the organization is poised for continued failure. Questions around the President's contribution as a value-add to the organization remain unanswered. I caution against considering NMSI as an employer if you seek a workplace that genuinely adheres to its mission and values. The company's disregard for student support and its inability to align actions with its mission pose grave concerns for its future. Pursue opportunities elsewhere that prioritize their mission and offer a supportive and focused work environment. The leadership's reluctance to address core issues and embrace change suggests a dire need for a restructuring, particularly at the upper management level. Without significant changes in leadership and a fundamental shift in approach, NMSI is destined to perpetuate its decline and further stray from its mission.

When joining NMSI, I was driven by the stated mission to reach those furthest from opportunity. However, in my time there I have not seen that mission in action. In the latest of many reorgs, every Black women who spoke up about micro-aggressions they experienced in the workplace at the last all staff convening was let go. To further cement the retaliatory nature of this restructure, both written and verbal communication stated that that one department spoke about lack of leadership accountability and clarity, therefore that department was cut and reimagined. In the reimagining of that department, the ones who were honest on our staff engagement surveys did not find their names appear on the new org chart. When confronted with this, the new CEO tried to say there were other reasons for the restructure but failed to specifically name other departments as the impetus for the “streamlining.” The overall diversity of the staff of took a huge hit with the last restructure and those who were able to get new jobs were not the ones “displaced”, but ones who already had confirmed jobs. When the vocal parties attempted to apply for new roles, they were told they were unqualified despite having held hiring paying positions in the org before all of this making it very clear that they were not displaced, but fired. In this process, NMSI lost every BIPOC and all but 1 female senior director and not a single one was rehired for ANY position they applied for. Yet we now have newly appointed “directors” who do not manage people despite the newly adopted “equitable” metrics that qualify directors as those supervising managers and senior directors as those supervising directors. As another former employee posted, this is the sunken place. With the erosion of internal trust and moral, the very bloated leadership team comprised of 10 c suite employees for a staff of 60, did not take a pay cut, nor reimagine their roles. To give the illusion of caring, they hired a DEIJ director who was onboarded after the staff was given the news of the organizational change. This strategic timing allowed them to ensure that marginalized staff had no safe space to turn to during this process. If you like unsafe, hostile, and retaliatory work environments, NMSI is the place for you. If not, look elsewhere.