An electroluminescence circular polarization of 23% and threshold current reduction of 11% are obtained in an electrically pumped spin-polarized vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser. Electron spin injection is accomplished utilizing a regrown Fe/n-AlGaAs Schottky tunnel barrier deposited around the base of the laser mesas. Negligible circular polarizations and threshold current reductions are measured for nonmagnetic and Fe-based control VCSELs, which provides convincing evidence of spin injection, transport, and detection in our spin-polarized laser. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.