What We Know About Recruiting and Retaining Teachers of Color

• In Event: Investing in a Diverse, Quality Teacher Workforce: From Recruitment to Retention

Abstract

This paper analyzes national data to illustrate the current state of teachers of color in the workforce and reviews peer-reviewed literature to identify the conditions associated with recruiting and retaining teachers of color. Our purpose is to inform researchers, policymakers, and practitioners about policies and practices that have been found to effectively overcome the challenges to recruiting and retaining teachers of color. We examine promising practices for recruitment and retention based upon an analysis of enrollment in and completion of high-quality teacher preparation; hiring practices; school closures and privatization; and school working conditions.

Several studies show that students of color with same-race teachers have improved school experiences and academic achievement, including increased academic engagement and college-going rates, decreased dropout and absenteeism rates, and improved test scores. Studies also suggest that all students benefit from the distinctive knowledge and experiences teachers of color bring to the student body as a whole.

Based on our analysis of the Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) Teacher File 2011-12 and the SASS Teacher Follow-up Survey 2013-14, nationally representative datasets, teachers of color comprise an increasing share of the U.S. teacher workforce but at 18% of teachers in 2011-12 are still far below the proportion of students of color in public schools (49%) and people of color in the nation (37%). Even with increases amongst teachers of color overall, Black and Native American teachers are a declining share of the teaching force. A key factor is high turnover rates. Teachers of color move schools or leave the profession at a higher annual rate than White teachers (17% versus 13%). According to the SASS and TFS, teachers of color are more likely to enter teaching via alternative certification pathways associated with less comprehensive preparation and higher turnover rates.

According to the literature, teachers of color are less likely to enroll in traditional teacher preparation programs and are more sensitive to the debt burden of college. Teachers of color are more likely to teach in schools vulnerable to school closures due to accountability measures and privatization and are more likely to experience poor working conditions associated with high teacher turnover, such as lack of autonomy and racial discrimination. We examine promising practices that address both the challenges identified in the literature and in national data.

Most literature on recruitment and retention of teachers of color has focused either on current data or an analysis of the literature. This paper links national data with a review of the literature to more comprehensively inform policy solutions. In addition, we intentionally review the literature as it pertains to Native American teachers, an often-overlooked segment of the population facing serious declines in the workforce.

Author

• Desiree Carver-Thomas, Learning Policy Institute