EdLoC Blog | Back to School with a Purpose: Building a Diverse and Inclusive Teaching Workforce

Originally from Education Leaders of Color

Guest Blog contributors and EdLoC Members: Javaid Siddiqi, President and CEO of The Hunt Institute; Tequilla Brownie, CEO of TNTP; Kira Orange Jones, CEO of Teach Plus; Sharif El-Mekki, founder and CEO of the Center for Black Educator Development; Amanda Fernandez, CEO and co-founder of Latinos for Education; Harrison Peters, CEO of Men of Color in Educational Leadership; and Denise Forte, president and CEO of The Education Trust

Young people of all racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds benefit when they have access to diverse teachers and school leaders. Today, teachers of color make up only 21 percent of the workforce; in fact, 40 percent of US K-12 public schools have no teachers of color. Yet more than 50 percent of the PK-12 public school student population is Black, Hispanic, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Indigenous, or multi-racial. Great school principals and teachers of color can drive profound changes in student achievement and school outcomes, particularly for students of color. Research has shown that Black students are less likely to drop out of high school and more likely to attend college when they have Black teachers. Likewise, attendance among Latino students improves with Latino teachers.

As a new school year kicks off, the One Million Teachers of Color Campaign is redoubling its commitment to adding a million teachers of color and thirty-thousand leaders of color to the education workforce in the next decade. At the federal level, our plan for achieving this is three-fold:

• Build and expand more diverse educator talent pipelines
• Invest in financial supports and incentives to recruit and retain educators of color
• Make data on teacher and school leader diversity more transparent and actionable

We’ve created a congressional policy brief that contains critical research and actionable efforts for policymakers to join us in championing a stronger, more diverse education workforce in this new school year and beyond. Students, especially those furthest from opportunity, need access to diverse and effective educators more than ever. The presence of teachers and school leaders of color isn’t just about representation; it’s about creating tangible, positive outcomes.

We invite you to join us in paving the way for a brighter future by advocating for inclusive policies and innovative pathways into the teaching profession, and by dismantling barriers that hinder educators of color. The One Million Teachers of Color Campaign—led by TNTP, The Hunt Institute, Center for Black Educator Development, The Education Trust, Latinos for Education, Men of Color in Educational Leadership, New Leaders, and Teach Plus—stands as a call to action.

Join us on this journey toward a more equitable and vibrant learning experience for all students, one educator at a time.