Recruitment & Retention

New Guide Pairs Research and Policy on Recruiting, Retaining Teachers of Color

By Ileana Najarro — October 31, 2022 3 min read
Maria Ramadane, the instructor of the career switcher course, talks to her students during class at James Monroe High School on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022 in Fredericksburg, Va.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

A new guide offers researchers, policymakers, district and school leaders, and classroom teachers alike insights for engaging in evidence-based policies and other actions that can be taken to meet the urgent need to recruit and retain teachers of color.

The Handbook of Research on Teachers of Color and Indigenous Teachers, co-edited by education scholars Conra D. Gist and Travis J. Bristol, and published in late October by the American Educational Research Association, features new research affirming why more teachers of color are needed in K-12 schools, and, crucially, how to achieve this.

“It points to teacher development system changes that need to take place,” said Gist, an associate professor of teaching and teacher education in the College of Education at the University of Houston.

The book is organized into 11 domains of inquiry, breaking down each of the factors involved when implementing successful programs and policies for recruiting and retaining local educators of color. These domains include program design in teacher preparation and other training, the role of minority-serving institutions, human resource development and induction, mentorship, and more.

It’s designed to have multiple entry points for all readers, Gist said. For instance, classroom teachers can get ideas on mentorship and support programs, such as what factors to look for in such programs.

103122 Teachers of Color Handbook BS

Rita Kohli, cofounder and co-director of the conference group Institute for Teachers of Color Committed to Racial Justice, was among the contributing editors and writers. Her sections focused on professional development for and by teachers of color and Indigenous teachers.

One of her key takeaways for readers: that “professional development generally centers white teacher learning and often does not embody the knowledge, experiences, or needs of teachers of color,” she said.

“Thus teachers of color feel compelled to meet their own needs through critical professional development spaces that are more holistic, or affinity spaces.”

An evolving conversation

The conversation around the need for more teachers of color and how to best support them really started following the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education. The decision launched a historic period of desegregation, but it also ultimately led to a drastic loss of educators of color, especially Black educators, said Eric Duncan, assistant director for P-12 policy at the nonprofit Education Trust.

Data show how a growing number of public school students are students of color; in fact, they now make up more than half of the nation’s school-age population. So there’s been a renewed urgency to better match educators with the diversity of the nation and new generations of students, Duncan said. That urgency is also tied to conversations around the opportunity gap students of color face in public schools. Qualified teachers of color can play a role in ensuring these students’ success and closing those gaps.

National narratives on diversity suggest that there’s still a necessity for research affirming the need for these educators. Just this week, the Supreme Court is once again hearing a case addressing the topic of affirmative action in college admissions, a case that’s expected to have implications for K-12 school diversity plans.

And while there has been work underway to diversify the teaching profession—the National Center for Teacher Residencies is now developing and scaling up 14 teacher apprenticeship models including at historically Black colleges and universities—the handbook blends research and policy together in a way that helps more localized, evidence-based conversations take hold, Gist said.

She hopes readers can walk away with ideas on how to take action to support more teachers of color in classrooms across the country, and how to build a continuum of support for them.

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Reading & Literacy Webinar
(Re)Focus on Dyslexia: Moving Beyond Diagnosis & Toward Transformation
Move beyond dyslexia diagnoses & focus on effective literacy instruction for ALL students. Join us to learn research-based strategies that benefit learners in PreK-8.
Content provided by EPS Learning
Classroom Technology Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: Is AI Out to Take Your Job or Help You Do It Better?
With all of the uncertainty K-12 educators have around what AI means might mean for the future, how can the field best prepare young people for an AI-powered future?
Special Education K-12 Essentials Forum Understanding Learning Differences
Join this free virtual event for insights that will help educators better understand and support students with learning differences.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Recruitment & Retention Q&A How These Principals Got Creative to Recruit STEM Teachers
One big tip is to recruit teachers you already have and help them make the switch to STEM.
4 min read
Black students using laptop in the lab with white female teacher- including a female student with special needs.
E+/Getty
Recruitment & Retention Q&A How This District Lowered Its Teacher Vacancy Rate to Almost Zero
Knox County schools in Tennessee has a multifaceted strategy to hire and retain more teachers.
7 min read
Newspaper with ads for vacancy School teacher.
iStock / Getty Images Plus
Recruitment & Retention Schools Have Their Work Cut Out to Get STEM Teachers. Here's How to Do It
Schools can be creative about using current staff and partnerships with businesses to provide STEM learning.
11 min read
STEM
Collage by Laura Baker/Education Week via Canva