Teacher-Student Ethnoracial Representation in South Carolina Public Schools: Implications for Diversity-Focused Teacher Recruitment and Retention

• In Event: Anti-Blackness in K-12 Education: In Pursuit of Equity

Abstract

Understanding racial and ethnic diversity among teachers and students within unique district contexts can help strategically inform local diversity-focused teacher recruitment and retention efforts, and by extension, create more equitable educational contexts for students of color. This study explores the ethnoracial distribution of public school teachers and students across South Carolina and highlights the extent of diversity within the teacher workforce. Using data visualizations created in R, the results provide a district-level description of the ethnoracial composition of SC teachers and students and an analysis of access to teachers of color relative to students of color by district. Implications for diversity-focused teacher recruitment and future lines of inquiry related to teacher-student ethnoracial parity are discussed.

Authors

• Nora D. Hochstetter, Clemson University

• Virginia Clark, Clemson University

• Shanada McFadden, Clemson University

• Faiza M. Jamil, Clemson University