Opening Doors: Strategies for Advancing Racial Diversity in Wisconsin&apos;s Teacher Workforce
Author: Chapman, Anne
Date: 2021-03-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Elementary Secondary Education,Student Diversity,Diversity (Faculty),Minority Group Students,Racial Differences,Ethnicity,Minority Group Teachers,Achievement Gap,Postsecondary Education,Teacher Education Programs,Public Schools,Teacher Persistence,Labor Turnover,Teacher Selection,School Districts,Graduation Rate,Career Choice,Barriers,Racial Bias,Educational Environment,College Attendance,Financial Support,Resource Allocation,College School Cooperation,Partnerships in Education,Culturally Relevant Education,Faculty Development,Equal Education,Beginning Teacher Induction,State Policy,Accountability,Data Collection,State Government,Government Role,High Schools,Teacher Promotion

In June 2020, the Wisconsin Policy Forum published &quot;A Teacher Who Looks Like Me: Examining Racial Diversity in Wisconsin's Teacher Workforce and the Student-to-Teacher Pipeline.&quot; The impetus for that research was both the long-standing racial disparities in educational outcomes that have persisted in Wisconsin for decades and a growing body of research pointing to the benefits that a racially diverse and representative teacher workforce can bring to mitigate those disparities. Studies have linked students' access to teachers from their own race and ethnic background with a variety of beneficial outcomes -- from higher rates of academic achievement, attendance, high school graduation, and college enrollment, to lower rates of suspension, dropout, and discipline referrals. This report follows up on the data findings of the prior report by examining the drivers of these trends and the range of potential local strategies and state policy options to improve the diversity of Wisconsin's teacher workforce. While this is a challenge with which education leaders and policymakers are grappling throughout the country, the focus is on the policy proposals that are tailored to Wisconsin's particular challenges and that ideally would complement, coordinate, and capitalize on the assets and resources already being deployed. It begins with a discussion of the barriers and challenges that impede progress toward greater teacher diversity in Wisconsin at both the individual and institutional level. Then, it explores key local strategies that schools, districts, universities, and community-based organizations are undertaking to attract, support, and retain teachers of color throughout the state. The discussion spotlights some specific local initiatives to illustrate how such efforts can take shape on the ground. Where possible, it also considers how well those efforts are working and what more may need to be done at the state or local level. Building on the understanding of Wisconsin's particular teacher diversity challenges and some of the assets local institutions are leveraging to address them, the final section addresses how state-level leadership and policy levers could complement and supplement local efforts. Finally, it explores five key policy priorities where state-level leaders and policymakers should focus resources and action. [For the executive summary, see ED612798. For &quot;A Teacher Who Looks Like Me: Examining Racial Diversity in Wisconsin's Teacher Workforce and the Student-to-Teacher Pipeline,&quot; see ED612773.]