Travis J. Bristol is an associate professor of teacher education and education policy in Berkeley’s School of Education and (by courtesy) the Department of African American Studies. He is also the faculty director of the Center for Research on Expanding Educational Opportunity. Before joining Berkeley's faculty, he was a Peter Paul Assistant Professor at Boston University. Using qualitative methods, Dr. Bristol explores three related research strands: (1) the role of educational policies in shaping teacher workplace experiences and retention; (2) district and school-based professional learning communities; (3) the role of race and gender in educational settings. Dr. Bristol's research has appeared in over 70 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, policy briefs, and opinion editorials including Urban Education, the American Educational Research Journal, Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, the Journal of Teacher Education, Teachers College Record, Harvard Educational Review, Brookings, and The Washington Post. He also co-edited two volumes: The Handbook of Research on Teachers of Color and Indigenous Teachers (with Conra Gist), which was published by the American Educational Research Association (AERA) and Men Educators of Color in U.S. Public Schools and Abroad (with Ashley Woodson), which was published by Routledge.
The National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation, Ford Foundation, and AERA awarded Dr. Bristol dissertation fellowships (2013). He received the inaugural teacher diversity research award from the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (2016). Dr. Bristol was awarded a Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship and an emerging scholar award from the Comparative and International Education Society, African Diaspora SIG (2019). He received a National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship (2020). Dr. Bristol received the Division-K Early Career Award from AERA (2021). He was awarded an Educational Researcher AERA Outstanding Reviewer Award (2022). Dr. Bristol received the AERA Early Career Award (2024). Most recently, he received the U.C. Berkeley Chancellor’s Award for Public Service - Faculty - Community Engaged Teaching Award (2025).
Dr. Bristol has received more than $6.7 million in research funding from a diverse group of funders, including the New York City Department of Education, the National Education Association, the National Academy of Education, the State of California, the W.T. Grant Foundation, the California Department of Justice, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the Walton Family Foundation, the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).
Dr. Bristol is on the editorial boards of Urban Education, the American Educational Research Journal, and the Association for Education Finance and Policy Live Handbook. He is also the chair of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Board of Directors, the first Black person to hold this position in the organization's 38 year history. Dr. Bristol also chairs the California Department of Education Teacher Diversity Advisory Group. Dr. Bristol is on the Board of Directors of Teach Plus; the National Center for Teacher Residencies; and the Albert Shanker Institute. He also serves on the advisory board for the National Academy of Education’s Equity in Math Education Research Program.
Dr. Bristol is a former student and teacher in New York City public schools and teacher educator with the Boston Teacher Residency program. Dr. Bristol received his AB from Amherst College; an MA from Stanford University; and a PhD from Teachers College, Columbia University.
Selected Publications
Bristol, T. J., Cheung, R. C., & Wilkerson, M. (forthcoming). Designing Professional Learning to Support District and School Administrators of Color. Urban Review.
*Quince, C. L., *Martin, J. T. & Bristol, T. J (forthcoming). Looking Back to Move Forward: A Healing-Centered Approach to Teacher Professional Learning in one Urban Center. Journal of Negro Education.
Woodson, A. N. & T. J. Bristol (Eds.) (2024) Men Educators of Color in U.S. Public Schools. Routledge
Manchanda, S., Bristol, T. J., & Moss, C. (2023). Getting Black Men to the Blackboard: Factors That Promote Black Men Teachers’ Entry into the Teaching Profession. Equity & Excellence in Education, 57(2), 226-239.
Bristol, T. J.& Goings, R. B. (2019).Exploring the boundary heightening experiences of Black male teachers: Lessons for teacher education. Journal of Teacher Education. 70(1), 51-64.
Bristol, T. J. & Martin-Fernandez, J. (2019). The added value of Latinx and Black Teachers for Latinx and Black students: Implications for policy. Policy Insights from Behavioral and Brain Science, 6(2), 147-153.
Bristol, T. J.& Goldenberg, C. (2015). Teachable moments and academic rigor: A mini-unit. Edutopia.
Presentations and Professional Experiences
Invited International Presentations
- Bristol, T.J. (2024). A Tale of Two Types of Schools: An Exploration of How School Working Conditions Influence Black Male Teacher Turnover. Universita Bocconi, Milan, Italy.
- Bristol, T. J. & Britton, T. A. (2024). Addressing our History: Designing a California Secondary Black Studies Curriculum. University College of London, London, England.
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Bristol, T.J. (2023). African Diasporic Research: Implications for Teachers of African Descent across the Americas. Universidade do Estado da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil.
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Bristol, T. J. & Britton, T. A. (2023). Revisiting Racial and Ethnic Backgrounds Across Diverse Educational and Socio-cultural Contexts. Universidad del Pais Vasco, San Sebastian, Spain
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Bristol, T. J. (2022). The Impact of an Ethnoracially Diverse Workforce in England, the Netherlands, Germany, and Sweden. Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok, Thailand.
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Bristol, T. J. (2022). Profesores Afrodescendientes en LatinoAmerica. Universidad del Rosario, Bogota, Colombia.
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Bristol, T. J. & Britton, T. A. (2022). K – 16 Education Policy: A Perspective from the United States. Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya.
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Bristol, T. J. & Britton, T. A. (2022). Teacher Ethnoracial Diversity on both Sides of the Pond. University College of London, London, England.
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Bristol, T. J. (2020). Teaching Senior School District Leaders of Color to Design Equitable Policies and Practices. Seventh Strength through Diversity Policy Forum at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Paris, France.
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Bristol, T.J. (2017). Organizing for Educator Diversity: Promising Policies and Practices from the United States. Second Strength through Diversity Policy Forum at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Paris, France.
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Bristol, T.J. (2012). Teaching Boys: Towards a Theory of Gender Relevant Pedagogy. National Center for Research Education Development, Georgetown, Guyana.
Invited National Presentations (selected)
- Bristol, T. J. (2024). Learning to Hold the Both And. Keynote Address at the Alder Graduate School of Education Commencement, Hayward, CA.
- Bristol, T. J. (2024). Educator Ethnoracial Diversity: Challenges and Opportunities. U.S. Department of Education Convening on Supporting State Action to Advance the Educations Professions, Chicago, IL.
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Bristol, T. J. (2024). Recruiting and Retaining Teachers of Color. Elevating the Teaching Profession: A National Conversation on the Future of Teaching. Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center, Washington, D.C.
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Bristol, T. J. (2023) A Black Man’s Leadership Journey: Using Research to Shape National, State, and Local Educational Policy. Keynote Address at the Morehouse Center for Excellence in Education, Atlanta, GA.
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Alvarez, A., Bristol, T. J., Ladson-Billings, G. J., Royal, C., Skiba, R. J. (2023). Consequential Issues for Educators and Education. Invited Presidential Session at the 2023 Virtual American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting.
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Bristol, T. J. & Cheung, R. (2023). Investigations Into the Working Conditions of Leaders of Color: Illuminating the Truth About Recruitment, Retention, and Turnover. Invited Presidential Session at the 2023 American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL
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Bristol, T. J. (2022). Transforming Public School Systems to Develop Teachers and Leaders: The Next Phase of U.S. Education Reform. Keynote Address for the University of Connecticut 2022 Philip E. Austin Lecture, Storrs, CT.
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Bristol, T. J. (2022). A Professional Learning Community for Teacher Educators. Keynote Address at the California Teacher Residency Lab Symposium, Sacramento, CA.
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Bristol, T. J. (2022). Governors Education Symposium. Hunt Institute, Park City, UT.
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Bristol, T. J. (2022). Learning how to Love and to Teach Other People's Children. Keynote Address at the Region Nine Head Start Association Family Engagement and Cultural Effectiveness Conference, Kona, HI.
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Bristol, T. J. (2022). Who will teach? Who will lead our schools? National Academy of Education Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C.
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Bristol, T. J. (2022). Recommendations for Diversifying California’s Workforce. California Department of Education (virtual presentation).
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Bristol, T. J. (2022). Cross-Cutting Issues in Mental Health & Wellness Equity: Implications for Male Teachers of Color. Invited Presidential Session at the 2022 American Educational Research Association Annual Virtual Meeting. San Diego, CA.
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Bristol, T. J. (2021). Strategic Recruitment and Retention in Urban Contexts. Virtual Keynote Address at the U.S. Department of Education 2021 Effective Educator Development Annual Summit.
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Bristol, T. J., El-Mekki, S., Cockrell, D., & Williams, J. (2021). #BlackMenTeach: Amplifying ways to recruit and retain Black male teachers. The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans
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Bristol, T. J. (2021). Moving beyond Recruitment: Supporting and Retaining Teachers of Color. Virtual Keynote Address at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Education and Information Studies Office of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion’s Lecture Series.
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Bristol, T. J. (2021). Developing and Retaining Teachers of Color. Virtual Keynote Address at the University of Southern California’s Scholar of Color Lecture Series.
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Kraft, M., Bartlett, L., Bristol, T. J. (2021). Being a teacher: The experience of the last year. Panel presentation at the Teaching and the Teacher Workforce Amid the Struggles of COVID-19 and for Racial Justice. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Virtual Conference.
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Davis, J.E., Bristol, T. J., Carey, R. L., & Wright, B. L. (2021). 2021 American Educational Research Association Annual Virtual Meeting. Boys and Men of Color: New Possibilities for Engaged and Collaborative Education Research and Practice.
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Hill, H. C., Grossman, P. L., Remillard, J., Bristol, T. J., Cohen, J. J., Guillen, L., Kang, H., van Es, E., & Stroupe, D. (2021). Designing for impact: Design choices in teacher education research. Invited Division K Symposium at the 2021 American Educational Research Association Annual Virtual Meeting.
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Bristol, T.J. (2021). A Broken Pipeline. Keynote Address at the Harvard Data Strategic Project Virtual Convening.
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Bristol, T. J. (2021). Our Urgency of Now: Diversifying California’s Teacher Workforce. Keynote Address at the California Department of Education Virtual Equity Thought Leader Series
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Bristol, T. J. (2021). Developing and Retaining Teachers of Color. Virtual Keynote Address at the Brandeis University Education Program Speaker Series
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Bristol, T. J. (2021). Designing Schools to Support Black Boys and Black Male Teachers. Virtual Keynote Address at the Situating Teachers of Color Voice Virtual Conference at Kansas State University
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Bristol, T. J. (2021). How to Organize Race and Gender Policies with Educational Institutions. Virtual Keynote Address at the Sonoma State Social Justice Week.
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Bristol, T. J., King, J. B., & Rodrigues, K. (2020). Covid-19 and Racial Equality: A National Reckoning in Public Education. Panel discussion at
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Gist, C. & Bristol, T. J. (2020). An Intersectional Examination of the Research Base on Teachers of Color and Indigenous Teachers: What Works, Under What Conditions, and For Whom? Invited Presidential Session at the 2020 American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA. (Conference canceled)
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Bristol, T.J. (2019). Recruiting and Supporting Teachers of Color: Starting with Ourselves. Keynote Address at the Association of Teacher Education, Burlington, VT.
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Bristol, T.J. (2019). Reimagining Teacher Education to Support Teachers of Color. Keynote Address at Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY.
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Bristol, T.J. (2019). The Research Base on Teacher Diversity. Keynote Address at the
Council for Chief State School Officers Network for Transforming Educator Preparation, Omaha, NE.
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Bristol, T.J. (2019). Recruiting and Supporting Teachers of Color: Starting with Ourselves. Keynote Address at the National Center for Teacher Residencies, Chicago, IL.
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Bristol, T.J. (2019). Ensuring our Classrooms are Representative of Our Communities. Keynote Address at 5th Annual Trellis Unconference, San Francisco, CA.
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Bristol, T.J. (2019). Policy Levers for Supporting Teachers of Color. Obama Foundation: My Brother’s Keeper Rising, Oakland, CA
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Bristol, T. J. (2018). Policing and Teaching: Making Teacher Ethnoracial Diversity Matter: The Role of the Legal Community. Keynote Address at Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race & Justice at Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA.
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Bristol, T. J. (2018). Supporting and Retaining an Ethno-racially Diverse Educator Workforce: At the Intersection of Research, Policy, and Practice. Keynote Address at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, Philadelphia, PA.
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Bristol, T. J. (2018). Policy Levers for Increasing the Ethnoracial Diversity of Teachers in Urban Public Schools. Keynote Address at Brown University, Providence, RI.
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Bristol, T. J. (2017). More than Recruitment: Supporting and Retaining Teachers of Color. Keynote Address at Yale University, New Haven, CT.
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Bristol, T.J. (2017). Research that Informs Practice and Policy Solutions for Increasing, Supporting, and Retaining Teachers of Color. Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge MA.
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Bristol, T.J. (2017). The Role of White Allies for Teachers of Color. Keynote Address at the National Board Resource Center at Stanford University, Stanford, CA.
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Bristol, T.J. (2017). The Urgency of Teacher Racial/Ethnic Diversity. Keynote Address at Wheaton College, Norton, MA.
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Bristol, T.J. (2017). People and Relationships: Engaging Families and Students in Developing Innovative Programs. Keynote Address at the Georgia Innovation Summit, Athens, GA.
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Bristol, T.J. (2016). Research on the Effects of a Non-Diverse Teaching Force Coupled with Recommendations for Research, Practice, and Policy. Keynote Address at the U.S. Department of Education National Teacher Diversity Summit, Washington D.C.
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Bristol, T.J. (2016). A Call to Increase the Racial & Ethnic Diversity of Tennessee’s Teaching Force: The Intersection of Research, Policy, & Practice. Keynote Address State Collaborative on Reforming Education, Nashville, TN.
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Bristol, T.J. (2016). Policy and Practice Recommendations for Recruiting, Supporting, and Retaining Teachers of Color. Keynote Address at Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ.
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Bristol, T.J. (2015). Black Men of the Classroom: How the Organizational Conditions in Schools Affect Black Male Teachers’ Experiences and Retention. Keynote Address at the Race and Social Justice in Education Symposia at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
Previous Professional Experiences
Peter Paul Assistant Professor. Boston University School of Education. (August 2017 – June 2018); Assistant Professor of Education. Boston University School of Education.(July 2016 – August 2017)
Research and Policy Fellow. Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education. (August 2014 – June 2016)
Clinical Teacher Educator. Boston Teacher Residency.(June 2011 – July 2014)
English Teacher. New York City Department of Education. (September 2004 – June 2009)
Activities and Honors
Activities
Editorial Board, Urban Education; American Educational Research Journal, the Association for Education Finance and Policy Live Handbook
Chair, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (board of directors); California Department of Education Educator Diversity Advisory Group
Board of Directors, Teach Plus; National Center for Teacher Residencies; Albert Shanker Institute
Advisory Board, National Academy of Education’s Equity in Math Education Research Program
Honors
U.C. Berkeley Chancellor’s Award for Public Service - Faculty - Community Engaged Teaching Award, 05/2025
American Educational Research Association Early Career Award, Washington, D.C., 04/2024
American Educational Research Association Outstanding Reviewer (Educational Researcher) Washington, D.C., 04/2022
American Educational Research Association Early Career Award (Division-K), Washington, D.C., 04/2021
National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship, Washington, D.C., 05/2020
Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship, Washington, D.C., 06/2019
Comparative and International Education Society, African Diaspora SIG Emerging Scholar, San Francisco, CA, 05/2019
Thomas B. Fordham Institute Emerging Education Policy Scholar, Washington, D.C., 9/2017
Peter Paul Career Development Professorship at Boston University, Boston, MA, 08/2017
American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education Teacher Diversity Research Award, Washington, D.C., 12/2015
National Academy of Education/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship, Washington D.C., 05/2013
Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship, Washington D.C., 05/2013 (declined)
American Educational Research Association Minority Dissertation Fellowship, Washington, D.C., 05/2013 (declined)
Teachers College, Columbia University Minority Fellowship, New York, NY 09/2009 -06/2012
John Woodruff Simpson Fellowship in Education Policy, Amherst, MA 09/2009
The Amherst College Commitment to Teaching Fellowship, ‘54, Amherst, MA, 4/2006
Alicia C. and Merrill E. Newman Fellowship, Stanford, CA, 6/2003
The Rockefeller Brothers Fund Fellowship for Aspiring Teachers of Color, New York, NY, 3/2002
