Mission-Driven and Identity-Matching Career Movements of African American Teachers

• In Event: 44.043 - Race and Human Capital Development

Abstract

We know a great deal about teacher labor market in general, yet we still know little about the specifics of minority teachers’ career movements. Using a decade of state administrative data, the findings reveal that African American teachers’ career movement features identity matching or mission-driven in that compared to white counterparts, they are more likely to stay in schools serving larger proportion of African American students and more likely to switch to another school serving similar type of students. However, effective minority teachers are no more than White counterparts to stay or switch to another school serving high percentage of African American students. Schools that need effective African American teachers the most are still unable to keep or attract them.

Author

• Min Sun, University of Washington - Seattle