# data[].attributes.headline
Case Studies and Policies for Engaging Diversity

# data[].attributes.subject
Case Studies and Policies for Engaging Diversity

# data[].attributes.body
1. A national loan forgiveness policy for Teachers of Color and Indigenous Teachers should be established by federal policy makers (Gist, Bristol, Bianco & Goings, 2021).

2. State policy makers ought to allocate resources towards recruiting Teachers of Color and Indigenous Teachers, invest in culturally responsive teacher licensure assessments, and establish accountability mechanisms to gauge the effectiveness of their state's efforts (Gist, Bristol, Bianco & Goings, 2021).

3. Providing a thorough induction program to assist teachers of color during their initial years of teaching. This induction program usually involves assigning a seasoned mentor teacher, organizing workshops, classroom aid, opportunities for collaboration with peers, guidance and evaluation from experienced teachers, and lighter workloads (Figlio, 2017).

# data[].attributes.body
There are several reasons why we need a more ethnically diverse teacher workforce in the United States. Some of these reasons include:

1. Representation and Role Modeling: Having teachers from diverse backgrounds can help students feel represented and more connected to their education. It can also provide role models for students who may not see themselves represented in other areas of their lives. When students see teachers who come from similar backgrounds or who share their experiences, they can feel more connected to their education and develop a greater sense of belonging in the classroom. This can help to create a more inclusive and supportive learning environment for all students, regardless of their background.

2. Cultural Competence: Teachers who come from diverse backgrounds bring a unique understanding of different cultures and perspectives to the classroom. This can help them better connect with students from diverse backgrounds and provide a more culturally responsive education. Having a diverse teaching staff can help to reduce cultural biases and stereotypes that may exist in the classroom. Teachers from diverse backgrounds can provide a counterbalance to mainstream perspectives and help to promote a more inclusive and equitable learning environment.

3. Increased Teacher Retention: Teachers from underrepresented backgrounds often face unique challenges in the education system, such as lack of support and mentorship. Increasing the number of diverse teachers can help address these issues and improve teacher retention rates.

4. Addressing the Achievement Gap: The achievement gap between students of color and their white peers has been a persistent problem in the U.S. education system. Increasing the number of diverse teachers can help address this gap by providing more equitable access to high-quality education for all students.

5. Improved Academic Outcomes: Research has shown that students perform better academically when they have teachers who share their racial or ethnic background. This is especially true for students of color who are more likely to experience cultural bias in the classroom.

# data[].attributes.body
Beckhusen, J., & Gumber, C. (2022). Nation’s Teachers More Diverse but Still Lag Racial, Ethnic Makeup of Students. United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2022/01/nations-teachers-more-diverse-but-still-lag-racial-ethnic-makeup-of-students.html

Carver-Thomas, D. (2018). Diversifying the teaching profession: How to recruit and retain teachers of color.  Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/559.310.

Figlio, D. (2017). The importance of a diverse teaching force. Brookings Institute. https://www.brookings.edu/research/the-importance-of-a-diverse-teaching-force/

Gist, C. D., Bristol, T. J., Bianco, M., Goings, R. B. (2021). Finding strategies to bring Teachers of Color and Indigenous Teachers into the profession. KAPPAN. https://kappanonline.org/strategies-bring-bipoc-teachers-into-the-profession-gist-bristol-bianco-goings/

Rafa, A., & Roberts, M. (2020). Building a Diverse Teacher Workforce. Education Commission Of The States. https://www.ecs.org/wp-content/uploads/Building_a_Diverse_Teacher_Workforce.pdf

Yaluma, C. B., & Tyner, A. (2021). Are U.S. Schools Closing the “Gifted Gap”? Analyzing Elementary and Middle Schools’ Gifted Participation and Representation Trends (2012–2016). Journal of Advanced Academics. https://doi.org/10.1177/1932202X20937633

# data[].attributes.body
1. While students of color are expected to make up 56 percent of the student population by 2024, the elementary and secondary educator workforce is still overwhelmingly white (US Department of Education, 2016). The proportion of Latinx, Black, Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, or mixed-race individuals in the teaching workforce of public schools ranged from 2% to 9% in 2017, whereas these same racial/ethnic groups accounted for up to 26.8% of the student population (Rafa & Roberts, 2020).

2. Teachers of color are more likely to have higher expectations of students of color (as measured by higher numbers of referrals to gifted programs), confront issues of racism, serve as advocates and cultural brokers, and develop more trusting relationships with students with whom they share a cultural background (Villegas, Maria & Irvine, 2010).

3. Both white and students of color express favorable attitudes towards their teachers of color, which includes perceiving them as caring and intellectually stimulating. Having a more diverse teaching staff could potentially alleviate the sense of isolation, stress, and exhaustion that may lead individual teachers of color to exit the profession due to feeling unsupported. (Carver-Thomas, 2018).

# data[].attributes.body
What can various institutions (K-12 schools, teacher training programs, labor unions, etc.) do to recruit and retain current teachers and teacher candidates of color?

# data[].attributes.body
Recruiting and retaining BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) teachers in the United States is a critical necessity that requires attention and action.