Where Does Teacher Diversity Stand?
New data confirms a persistent “representation gap” for students of color — meaning that many of these students in classrooms nationwide continue to be taught by teachers who don’t look like them.
In 2022-23, for instance, 52% of students enrolled in public schools were students of color, compared to just 21% of teachers who were people of color, according to data from nonprofit TNTP, formerly known as The New Teacher Project.
Within the five-year span between the 2018-19 and 2022-23 school years studied by TNTP, the representation gap between students and teachers of color nationwide remained above 30 percentage points.
TNTP, an alternative teacher preparation program, in August released an analysis of student and teacher racial demographic data at school district and state levels. The data represents 94% of school districts and 64% of schools nationwide, covering 47 states and Washington, D.C. Of those states, 43 had data available up to the 2022-23 school year.
The data is meant to provide districts and states with a solid starting point for the new school year as they look to improve teacher diversity, said Leticia de la Vara, chief policy, engagements and external affairs officer at TNTP.
“It’s important for all districts to look at how representative is your teaching profession to the students that you serve and really taking that self reflection, to look through the data and see where there are opportunities to grow this,” de la Vara said.
Read the full article at K-12 Dive.
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Imali Ariyarathne, seventh-grade teacher at Langston Hughes Academy, introduces her students to the captivating world of science.
About TNTP
TNTP is the nation’s leading research, policy, and consulting organization dedicated to transforming America’s public education system, so that every generation thrives.
Today, we work side-by-side with educators, system leaders, and communities across 39 states and over 6,000 districts nationwide to reach ambitious goals for student success.
Yet the possibilities we imagine push far beyond the walls of school and the education field alone. We are catalyzing a movement across sectors to create multiple pathways for young people to achieve academic, economic, and social mobility.