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Teachers of color are role models, parental figures, and advocates who build relationships with their students of color, helping them feel connected to their schools and succeed beyond the classroom. And it’s not just students of color who are well served by teachers of color: Research has shown that students of all races prefer teachers of color. That's why City Schools is working to recruit and retain Black teachers.
Close to 80 percent of City Schools' students are African American; just over 40 percent of City Schools' teachers identify as African American. And while this percentage is higher than it has been for seven years, issues that stifle development and empowerment of Black teachers are deeply rooted. Honest and critical examinations of systems and beliefs are needed to develop the trust, support, and collegial working environments that will support the successful recruiting and retaining of Black teachers.
Working group
During the 2018-19 school year, our Human Capital Office worked with teachers and community advocates as part of a working group to explore ways to recruit and retain Black teachers. The working group focused on the four areas below and produced the final report attached above.
- Increasing teacher retention
- Encouraging and enabling City Schools students to become teachers
- Facilitating teacher certification
- Developing City Schools paraeducators to become teachers
