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If we want our students to aspire to become teachers, then they need role models who share similar experiences and backgrounds. In 2022, more than half of all public school students were students of color, with many attending schools where BIPOC students made up 75% of total student enrollment. Yet only approximately 22% of teachers shared similar backgrounds. How do we inspire future teachers and retain those who mirror today’s diverse student populations?

In the edLeader Panel “Growing and Supporting a Diverse Teacher Workforce,” prominent superintendents at the forefront of educational equity discussed what it takes to attract candidates of all stripes and how findings from the latest CAAASA Annual Round-Up are shaping current efforts.

Be Intentional

“Our public school students absolutely need high-quality teaching, and teaching and learning are at the foundation of everything around schools,” said Dr. Adam Clark, Superintendent of Mt. Diablo Unified School District (CA).

Dr. Antoine Hawkins, Superintendent of Evergreen Elementary School District (CA), said leaders must begin by being intentional about where and how they recruit teachers, expanding to include more people of color and offering unique ways to enter the profession, including:

1. Build Early Pipelines

Partner with local organizations, community colleges, and universities to seed interest in the profession and provide opportunities for experience. “We have to partner, and I think it needs to start in high school to share with individuals the importance of teaching, that it’s a wonderful career, and that you have the opportunity to impact lives over a long period of time,” said Dr. Kai Mathews, Founder and Lead Designer of The Liberatory Classroom.

2. Alternative Certification Routes

Reducing the barriers to entry opens the door for more teachers. In some California counties, partnerships with the Office of Education provide programs where individuals receive their initial credentials. The panelists also recommended building Grow-Your-Own pathways for school staff and employees to become teachers, including state-issued or online/hybrid certification programs for staff, paraprofessionals, and mid-career professionals ready to make a change.

3. Targeted Incentives and Scholarships

The majority of aspiring teachers are doing student teaching as part of their credentialing program, “which also means that they don’t get paid during that time. Student teaching is more like an unpaid internship for a couple of months of time,” said Dr. Mathews. Offering incentives like relocation stipends for candidates from underrepresented backgrounds or financial scholarships and loan forgiveness helps counter financial barriers.

4. Culturally Responsive Outreach

Representation matters. It’s important to be conscious of using inclusive language and imagery in recruitment materials that reflect diverse communities.

Recruitment is Only Half of the Equation

“Recruitment without retention is really ineffective. Teachers must feel valued, and they must feel supported and have a sense of belonging in order to stay in the profession,” said Dr. Hawkins. Pairing new teachers with seasoned mentors provides immeasurable support for cultural and professional learning. Affinity groups, for example, also give teachers of color and other underrepresented educators safe spaces to connect, share experiences, and advocate collectively.

Keeping and attracting educators also requires looking at how society talks about and sees teaching, how teachers see themselves, and how future educators get inspired to join the profession, according to the panelists.

“I’ve been saying for a long time that teaching has a marketing problem. The teaching profession has a marketing problem, it has a deprofessionalization problem,” said Dr. Mathews.

“We have to focus on reframing the teaching profession, which means changing the narrative,” said Dr. Hawkins. Teaching is one of the most rewarding professions, where one can have a direct impact. It’s where young people learn the norms of society and understand what matters. And “that’s powerful work,” said Dr. Mathews.

Learn more about this edWeb broadcast, Growing and Supporting a Diverse Teacher Workforce, hosted by CAAASA, The California Association of African American Superintendents and Administrators.

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Leading for Equity is a free professional learning community for school and district leaders who face many challenges leading schools and driving school improvement for all students.

The California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators (CAAASA), a group of educational leaders, is committed to identifying and addressing the critical issues in education through public policy relative to the status and performance of African-American students in California.

Article by Suzanne Bell, based on this edLeader Panel