Education Commission of the States Releases Policy Report to Support a Diverse Educator Pipeline
The Education Commission of the States released an August policy brief with key research detailing the importance and benefits of expanding the racial/ethnic diversity of teachers in K-12 classrooms.
The resource, Building a Diverse Teacher Workforce, features examples of state-level action taken by various states with the intention of advancing educator diversity to improve students’ experiences and outcomes.
The strategies elevated in the report include understanding and examining state context, providing financial incentives and supports, implementing grow-your-own programs, and expanding preparation and licensure pathways. The report ends with policy recommendations, including requiring teacher preparation programs to publicly report on outcomes disaggregated by race; using this data to inform improvements and reward programs that consistently produce diverse, high-quality candidates; and investment in teacher preparation programs at historically black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions.