K–16 Partnerships for Latinx Teacher Candidate Hiring and Retention (Poster 3)

• In Event: A University System Transforming Teacher Preparation Through Initiatives to Recruit, Support, and Retain BIPOC Teachers

Abstract

By June 2023, through collaboration with K-12 partners, we will increase the employment rate of Latinx teacher candidates from 24% to 32% of eligible teacher candidate completers. Our objective, to form deep partnerships with a county office of education and local educational agencies around a shared vision of effective K-12 instruction including a mutual commitment to the recruitment, preparation, and retention of teachers who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) aligned with Key Transformational Element (KTE) 1 out of the New Generation of Educators Initiative (NGEI). This study aligns with the conference theme of dismantling racial injustice by illustrating the implementation of anti-bias and anti-racist strategies in teacher hiring processes through the use of improvement science tools.

Our project is grounded in Improvement Science (Bryk, et. al., 2015) beginning with a Networked Improvement Community made up of members with specific roles and areas of expertise collaborating around a common aim led by an understanding of the problem after completing a system investigation. We engaged in Continuous Improvement Cycle (Carnegie Foundation, 2023) activities over 2 years to understand our system, identify areas of high leverage to change it, and then explore tests to ultimately improve the system obtaining a different outcome.

Using Improvement Science methods, to understand problems rooted within our systems, we used tools such as a Fishbone Diagram, Systems Improvement Map, Driver Diagram, and Problem Statement development to discipline ourselves from leaping to solutionitis (Carnegie Foundation, 2023). We engaged in Plan-Do-Study-Act Cycles with timelines to measure our testing cycles within our system.
Data sources, evidence, objects, or materials
We examined four data sources. 1)We looked at the California State University EdQ Dashboard data to identify where our teacher candidates were gaining employment. 2) our own Cal Poly data on demographics of completers 3) analyzed qualitative and quantitative data from Candidate Completer Surveys to understand where our candidates were gaining employment 4) interviewed Latinx graduates and induction program county administrators and surfaced areas of disconnect between credentialing programs and hiring.

Partnership Launch and Data Collection: As the first change idea, we formed a partnership with County Office Human Resource Directors to routinely examine data together, in an effort to raise awareness, jointly set goals and engage in solutions around the hiring and retention of Latinx candidates.
Strategic Clinical Placement for Latinx Candidates: Our goal was to uplift our candidates and introduce them to hiring personnel by designing a tool to support the Strategic and Supportive Clinical Placement for Latinx candidates. The Introduction to Candidate Tool features profiles created by teacher candidates on Google slides.
Scientific or scholarly significance of the study or work

Each of us must be vigilant when analyzing our candidate experiences including their hiring outcomes, support within induction, and beyond if we hope to have more BIPOC teachers and leaders in California. This project highlights two ideas to support and center the identities of teacher candidates of color to ultimately retain them in the profession.

Authors

• Natasha Neumann, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

• Andrea F. Somoza-Norton, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

• Kristin Bridgeford, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

• Traice Muguira, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona