Research shows that teachers of color matter for all students, especially students of color. NCTQ’s new Teacher Diversity Dashboard revealed a troubling national trend: The diversity of the teacher workforce is slowing down compared to the diversity of adults with degrees. In other words, people of color who could be teachers are increasingly opting out.
California, Texas, and Washington, D.C. stand out for bucking that trend. Is their success sustainable? What can other states learn from these places about increasing the diversity of the teacher workforce, and what potential hazards may still lie concealed? This latest brief explores possible reasons for their relatively high rates of teacher diversity and how their policies and practices will likely affect teacher quality.