Educator Diversity State Profile: New York

A new report released by the New York Equity Coalition shows school level leadership does not represent the racial and ethnic diversity of the student population in New York State public schools.

October 06, 2023 by EdTrust

Attending a school with a principal of color has positive impacts on academic outcomes for students of color — including improved attendance, fewer disciplinary referrals, increased placement in gifted programs and improved academic outcomes.

While New York is one of the most diverse states in the nation, a new report released by the New York Equity Coalition shows school level leadership does not represent the racial and ethnic diversity of the student population in New York State public schools. The analysis reveals more than half of students attend a school without any school leaders of color.

The report also shows the teaching workforce doesn’t represent the diversity of students, and New York is challenged to retain teachers of color. According to the analysis, 15% of schools where students of color represent 96%+ of students do not have any school leaders of color.