State boards of education have been increasingly concerned about recruiting and retaining effective teachers because of both the outsized impact that quality educators have on student learning and the recent staff shortages in many content areas and hard-to-staff districts.
A key strand of the broad research on teacher effectiveness points to the impact on students of having teachers that look like them. Yet the mismatch between the race, gender, and ethnicity of teachers and students remains wide, both nationally and in many states. As states seek to broaden their teacher pipelines, they confront added difficulties in recruiting and retaining teachers reflective of the student population and the community’s demographics.
Research collaborators Conra Gist and Travis Bristol convened teams from Texas, California, Colorado, and New York to examine state data and contexts. The teams consulted education stakeholders within each state before arriving at a set of policy prescriptions appropriate to the context of their respective states for strengthening the teacher workforce.
Articles
Valuing Teachers and Their Educational Impact
By Conra D. Gist and Travis J. BristolAll students need effective teachers, and all aspiring teachers need equal opportunities to become effective.
Modernizing Educator Preparation in Texas
By Natalie Brown, Judith Cruz, Jonathan Feinstein, Nathan Kriha and Sandra RodriguezRobust in-school clinical experiences and integrated coursework are key.
Seeking a Shared Vision for Teacher Diversity in California
By José Magaña, Jeremy T. Martin, Bryan Monroy, Jacquelyn Ollison and Travis J. BristolStatewide leadership can create a cohesive whole of disparate local initiatives.
Overcoming Barriers for Colorado’s Educator Workforce
By Margarita Bianco, Robin Brandehoff, Marvin Lynn, Madhavi Tandon and Antwan JeffersonSupportive school cultures and mentorship can help turn the tide.
Recruitment and Retention Strategies to Diversify New York’s Pipeline
By Arlen Benjamin-Gomez, Christina Collins and Marielys DivanneFinancial barriers get in the way of attracting new teachers, and lack of advancement opportunities dissuade veterans from staying.
Opinion
Making Educator Diversity a Kitchen Table Issue
By Jarvis LundyOver half of public school students are students of color, but only about 20 percent of their teachers share that background. Closing this gap is not just about recruitment, it is about reimagining systems.
Publisher’s Note from NASBE
State boards of education have been increasingly concerned about recruiting and retaining effective teachers.
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