Research About Educators Diversity

Supporting and retaining our teachers of color is a crucial strategy for eliminating the Opportunity Gap in the PSESD region as well as across the state and the nation, and is aligned with the goals of HB 1541PDF download (the Opportunity Gap Bill). A diverse teacher workforce will improve educational outcomes for all our students, particularly for students of color, who are most adversely impacted by the lack of teacher diversity.

PSESD serves a student population that is 47% students of color (and growing increasingly diverse every year) while our teaching force is almost 90 % white.

A diverse teaching pool is critical to our mission of eliminating the opportunity gap :

Having teachers of color leads to strong educational outcomes for all students, particularly students of color.
Teachers of color serve as positive role models that encourage persistence, resilience and the possibility of attaining college education or professional careers to students of color; and challenge stereotypes about the potential of people of color for all students, thereby better preparing them to succeed in a diverse world. Supporting research.PDF download
All students benefit from having teachers of color, leading to better academic outcomes, regardless of race.
Research tells us that retention for teachers of color is lower than it is for their white counterparts, due to a variety of factors. Research also tells us that teachers of color benefit from supports that value their “cultural resources” (their life experiences and connections to communities of color), from mentoring and professional development that honors their unique perspectives, and from having connections to colleagues that share their experiences and motivations to teach. (Achinstein, Ogawa & Sexton, 2010)

More research regarding the impact of Educators of Color: