Increasing the Diversity of the U.S. Teacher Workforce

Creating a successful education for children of color in the U.S. requires focused attention. Often, these groups don’t have access to the resources required, such as ESL programs or after school support, to provide the most effective educational experience. One important resource in particular is becoming harder to find as the years go on – a diverse teacher workforce.

Non-White teachers in the U.S. have seen an increase over the past few decades. A 2012 study revealed that since 1987, the number of teachers of color has grown 104% compared to 38% for White teachers. Yet, there is plenty of room for improvement – while the number of teachers of color has doubled since 1987, they still represent less than 20% of the teacher workforce. What’s more concerning, this number doesn’t come close to representing students of color who now make up more than half of the U.S. public school population.

An important part of creating an effective educational experience for students of color, is placing teachers of color at the heads of classrooms. It’s much more likely that teachers of color will be able to relate to students of color, and create a more powerful bond in the classroom. In addition, when students of color are taught by positive, successful teachers of color, it’s far more likely that they will view teaching as a plausible career option. This is vital to the growth of teachers of color in the U.S., as part of the problem is a lack of college graduates within this demographic who choose education as a career path.

In general, the issue stems from decreased rates of college graduates of color. Studies show that Black and Hispanic students generally don’t graduate at the same rates as white students, and very few of those who do choose to become teachers. This creates an unfortunate cycle in which public school students of color, are less likely to be exposed to teachers of color, and thus less likely to choose teaching as a major while attending college.

To start creating solutions for this problem, there are issues within the education system that need to be addressed as they relate to students of color. First, colleges and universities need to bolster undergraduate admissions and graduation for ethnic candidates and prospects. Ideally, this will lead to a higher number of school teachers of color joining the workforce and public schools. In addition, balancing urban, suburban, and rural teaching assignments will achieve more balanced exposure to ethnic students. This will help to impact student career interests and provide perspective regarding healthy interactions with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.

There are also solutions to problems within the education system in general that will help to increase the diversity of the U.S. teacher workforce. Increasing salaries for K-12 teachers has been a hot topic for a long time, but for a good reason. Incentives such as rewarding higher rated teachers with bonuses and career progressions will create more draw for graduates considering a public-school teaching career. Greater private sector, foundation, and government support for teacher development and exposure programs will also help to spur interest in the field. Existing programs such as Teach for America and The Jet Program are ideal examples to follow.

In addition to problems within school systems, there are also racial issues that are negatively affecting the success of teachers of color. In general, public schools tend to see higher turnover rates with teachers of color than with white teachers. Studies and anecdotes from teachers alike have revealed that there are still racial factors in play that negatively affect the work experience for non-White teachers. Even today, they often face micro-aggressions from peers and bosses that, when topped with the everyday stresses that teaching can bring, become overwhelming and cause extreme unhappiness with the job. Non-White teachers also face a glass ceiling in the field that can make them feel like they don’t have a voice in the system or in the classroom.

Addressing these issues represents the first step in creating real change for both teachers of color and students of color throughout the U.S. Once teachers of color feel valued in the field, they will better impose the value of the job on the students they teach. Once students of color see the value in teaching, they will be more likely to view the profession as a possible career path. As with many issues, growth is possible, and it starts with compassion.