The Politics of Crossing State Lines to Secure a Teaching Position

• In Event: The Politics of Teaching

Abstract

Despite ongoing efforts to diversify the teacher workforce, the teacher hiring process has been underexplored by educational policy researchers. With less focus on this topic, the teacher hiring literature too often assumes that all teachers have equal access to teaching positions. Through surveys and in-depth interviews with 75 Black teachers, this study explores the experiences and perspectives of Black teacher applicants–a group that has been disproportionately impacted by teacher policies–as they apply for positions in public schools in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Drawing on critical theoretical insights, our findings highlight structural and interpersonal mechanisms that shape Black teachers’ experiences during the hiring process that can both promote and inhibit opportunities as they seek positions.

Authors

• Andrene Castro, Virginia Commonwealth University

• Andrea Guiden-Pittman, American University

• Diana D'Amico Pawlewicz, University of North Dakota

• Marvin Powell, George Mason University