Covering Efforts to Grow and Diversify the Teacher Workforce

Teachers matter. Research indicates teachers are among the most important factors in student achievement. It also shows that students of color benefit from having a teacher who looks like them – in fact, all students benefit when they have teachers who are racially and ethnically diverse. 

At a time when teacher shortages remain a challenge in certain geographic and subject areas – plus enrollment in teacher-preparation programs is just beginning to rebound from a decade-long decline – finding ways to bolster the teacher pipeline is essential.

And that work must include recruitment and retention of teachers of color, given that the demographics of the teacher workforce do not reflect those of the nation’s students.  

The Education Writers Association will hold a webinar on Tuesday, May 7 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern to help reporters learn more about different entry points to the teaching profession and how they present opportunities to increase diversity among the teacher workforce. 

How can policymakers create equitable pathways into the profession while also ensuring that prospective teachers are prepared and qualified to lead in the classroom? Many experiments are underway. Some states have reexamined entrance and licensure exam requirements to address inequities. Meanwhile, apprenticeships and grow-your-own programs are booming. 

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