The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) on Feb. 11 released a report detailing findings that California, Texas and Washington, D.C. demonstrate higher rates of teacher diversity than many states, but in some cases, rely on “shortcuts” that unnecessarily lower standards for entry, putting student learning at risk.
The report, What can California, Texas, and Washington, D.C. teach us about how to diversify the teacher workforce?, notes that while a diverse teacher workforce benefits all students, the steps taken to achieve this goal matter. Researchers outlined factors contributing to the success of these three places and evaluated potential unintended consequences.
Research shows that teachers of color produce additional positive academic, social-emotional and behavioral outcomes for all students, regardless of race, and often have a significant influence on students of color by being more likely to holding high expectations, creating classroom environments that promote a sense of belonging, and serving as role models for students of color.
For instance, Black students who had at least one Black elementary teacher are nearly 40 percent less likely to drop out of high school than those who have never been taught by a Black teacher between the third and fifth grade.
“Teacher diversity and high standards go hand in hand,” said NCTQ President Heather Peske. “States serious about improving student outcomes must start with strong teacher data and then enact policies that better recruit and prepare teachers of color for the classroom and actively retain them in the profession. It’s what is best for students.”
The report follows last December’s launch of the NCTQ’s teacher diversity dashboard, which tracks the racial makeup of U.S. educators from 2014–22. According to the dashboard, teachers from historically disadvantaged groups make up nearly 23 percent of working-age adults with degrees but 21 percent of the teacher workforce.
California, pros and cons
California has made significant efforts to invest in and promote a diverse teacher workforce. The state has allocated more than $1 billion to strengthen the teacher workforce with grants carved out to increase teacher diversity, and the California Department of Education’s support of funding, resources and strategic initiatives has helped further these efforts.
Nearly 33 percent of teachers in the state come from historically disadvantaged groups, compared to 27 percent of college-educated adults — a finding that researchers said is driven in part by state prioritization.
However, while increasing teacher diversity is critical, doing so by lowering preparation and certification standards risks placing underprepared teachers in classrooms — especially in high-need schools, according to the report.
Examples of this pitfall cited in the report include California’s recent efforts to allow candidates to bypass basic skills and subject-matter licensure tests, weakening critical checks on teacher knowledge, and legislation to allow for a bachelor’s degree in any subject to be the sole qualifier for admission into most teacher preparation programs.
