Building a Diverse & Strong Educator Workforce for Students

While students of color make up more than 50% of the K-12 public school student population, teachers of color comprise less than 20% of the teacher workforce. Access is also an issue: 40% of the nation’s public schools do not have a single teacher of color, and in many states, Black and Latino students attend schools without a single teacher who matches their race or ethnicity.

Students of color and students from low-income backgrounds are also four times more likely to attend schools with larger percentages of uncertified and inexperienced teachers. Given the importance of a strong and diverse teacher workforce, students of color and students from low-income backgrounds are being severely underserved, resulting in increased discipline referral rates, lower graduation rates, and less access to advanced coursework and college- and career-ready educational opportunities.

Ed Trust works with a diverse range of partners to develop resources to inform state policymakers and education advocates about the causes and offer potential solutions to achieve a strong and diverse teacher workforce. We have also engaged some of the nation’s best teachers of color to share their voices on ways states, districts, and schools can better train and support Black and Latino teachers.