Increasing the racial and cultural diversity of the teacher workforce takes a statewide commitment to collecting and analyzing educator workforce data and leading targeted, data-informed efforts to develop policies that recruit, support, and retain a high-quality...,
July 27, 2022 by EdTrust 
Research says that teacher diversity benefits all students, regardless or race or ethnicity. However, while the majority of students in the U.S. are of color, only about 20% of teachers are of color.
Increasing the racial and cultural diversity of the teacher workforce takes a statewide commitment to collecting and analyzing educator workforce data and leading targeted, data-informed efforts to develop policies that recruit, support, and retain a high-quality and diverse educator workforce. This brief is designed to support these efforts by providing data analyses and a landscape of policies and practices for advocates, educators, and policymakers leading this work at the state level.
Student Data Source: The Education Trust’s analysis of 2018-19 data retrieved from the state website.
Teacher Data Source: The Education Trust’s analysis of 2018-19 data receved from the SEA.
| Race/ethnicity | Students | Teachers2 |
| Asian | 2.4% | 0.4% |
| Black | 23.7% | 11.5% |
| Latino | 10.9% | 1.3% |
| Multiracial | 0.0% | 0.6% |
| American Indian / Alaska Native | 0.4% | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| White | 62% | 83.9% |
| Total Percentage of People of Color | 37.6% | 16.1% |
1. The data was pulled from K-12 public schools in the state, 2. K-12 classroom teacher full-time equivalents, 3. People of color describes people who identify as
Asian, Black, Latino, multiracial, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
| Schools With No Teachers of Color | 31.9% |
| Percentage of All Students in Schools with No Teachers of Color | 23% |
To examine whether students have access to diverse teachers in their schools, we analyzed school-level data on teacher and student race and ethnicity. The following describes state-level findings regarding students’ access to teachers of color and same-race teachers as well as the prevalence of teachers teaching in schools with no other same-race colleagues. For district-level data, please visit this state’s page at https://edtrust.org/educator-diversity/.
| State Teacher Diversity Data | |||||||
| Asian | Black | Latino | Multiracial | American Indian/ Alaska Native | Native Haw./ Pac. Islander | White | |
| Percent of students attending schools with no teachers of color | * | 4.6% | 12.9% | * | * | * | 32.3% |
| Percent of students attending schools with no same-race teachers | * | 7.9% | 45% | * | * | * | 0.0% |
| Percent of students attending schools with <5% same-race teachers | * | 79% | 13.1% | * | * | * | 100% |
| Percent of teachers working in schools with no other same-race teacher | 61.2% | 3.2% | 42.0% | 64.2% | 65.9% | 67.6% | 0.0% |
| *Too few students or teachers | |||||||
Research shows students of color and students from low-income backgrounds are more likely to attend schools with greater numbers of novice teachers than their peers. While new teachers bring energy and passion into their classrooms and schools, teachers face a steep learning curve in their first few years of teaching. Schools with high turnover and a “revolving door” of new teachers can deeply affect student learning.
Here is the state of Black and Latino student access to non-novice and certified teachers in Tennessee:
| Disparities between schools serving the most and fewest Black students | |||||||
| Schools Serving the Most Black Students | Schools Serving the Fewest Black Students | ||||||
| Percent Novice Teachers | 18% | 11% | |||||
| Percent First-Year Teachers | 10% | 7% | |||||
| Disparities between schools serving the most and fewest Latino students | |||||||
| Schools Serving the Most Latino Students | Schools Serving the Fewest Latino Students | ||||||
| Percent Novice Teachers | 14% | 10% | |||||
| Percent First-Year Teachers | 7% | 5% | |||||
| Disparities between Black and Non-Black Students | |||||||
| Black Students | Non-Black Students | ||||||
| Percent of Students in schools with High (>20%) percentages of Novice Teachers | 26% | 10% | |||||
| Percent of Students in schools with High (>20%) percentages of Uncertified Teachers | 32% | 13% | |||||
| Disparities between Latino and Non-Latino Students | |||||||
| Latino Students | Non-Latino Students | ||||||
| Percent of Students in schools with High (>20%) percentages of Novice Teachers | 18% | 13% | |||||
| Percent of Students in schools with High (>20%) percentages of Uncertified Teachers | 5% | 4% | |||||
To move from highlighting these inequities to proactively addressing them, see the Roadmap for State Success in our reports Getting Black Students Access to Non-Novice and Certified Teachers and Getting Latino Students Access to Non-Novice and Certified Teachers
To increase the racial diversity of the educator workforce, states must create the right policy conditions to support educator preparation programs, districts, and schools in their efforts to prepare, recruit, and retain teachers of color. The following describes the state’s progress toward creating those policy conditions:
RATING SCALE
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MEETS ALL OR MOST OF THE REQUIREMENTS
1: Make Educator Diversity Data Visible and Actionable to StakeholdersFor states to make progress toward increasing the racial diversity of the educator workforce, all stakeholders must have access to useful and timely educator workforce data to set goals and chart a path forward. As keepers of state data systems, state education agencies are best positioned to collect and share this data, which should be publicly available and easily accessible so stakeholders can make targeted, strategic workforce decisions at the school, district, and state level. For data to be meaningful, states must: |
Tennessee posts state-level data on the retention rates of educators of color on the state website.
However, the state should include data on the retention rates of educators of color through a dashboard, on individual school reports cards, or through a state-developed report that analyzes the retention rates of educators of color. For an example, see Delaware’s educator mobility data dashboard.
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MEETS ALL OR MOST OF THE REQUIREMENTS
2: Set clear goals at the state and district level to increase student access to diverse educators |
Tennessee publicly set goals through CCSSO’s Diverse and Learner Ready Teachers Initiative. Also, in accordance with state law (T.C.A.§ 49-1-302(i)), the Tennessee Department of Education recommends that school boards and local school districts establish reasonable, incremental goals for recruitment, employment and retention of teachers of color.
Therefore, the state earned a green in this category. For another example of a state that earned a green, see Arkansas’ goal to increase the number of teachers of color in public schools by 25%.
Tennessee conducted extensive stakeholder engagement to pass the Educator Diversity Policy in 2021. The state met with the Tennessee Association of School Personnel Administrators (TASPA), Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance, EdTrust – Tennessee, The Educator Diversity Advocacy Council, and the Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents (TOSS) among others.
Therefore, the state received a green in this category.
Tennessee provided multiple funding opportunities and guidance for preparation programs and districts to diversify the educator workforce, including a $50,000 grant to a preparation program to design strategies that support the development of a diverse educator workforce, funded five districts to develop plans through Title II, part A to increase the racial diversity of the workforce, and funded three districts with greatest needs through Title II, part A to implement comprehensive strategies to increase the number of educators of color through Grow Your Own programs; additionally, through the Teacher and Administrator Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Tennessee Report, state leaders convened interested districts to support strategic efforts to diversify the workforce.
Therefore, the state earned a green in this category. For another example of a state that earned a green, see New Jersey’s Diversifying the Teacher Pipeline Competitive Grant Program for educator preparation programs that expand and develop plans to recruit and prepare more educators of color to meet the needs of partnering local education agencies.
Tennessee has a state lead of the Diverse and Learner Ready Teachers Initiative to carry on state’s goals to increase the racial diversity of the workforce.
Therefore, the state earned a green in this category. For another example of a state that earned a green, see Ohio’s Diversifying the Education Profession in Ohio Taskforce brief from fall 2018.
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MEETS ALL OR MOST OF THE REQUIREMENTS
3: Invest in educator preparation programs to increase enrollment and improve the preparation of teachers of colorStates must invest in multiple inputs toward building an educator pipeline to increase the racial diversity of the workforce, starting with the preparation of educators of color. The state must create opportunities for educators of color to enroll and succeed in preparation programs and limit unnecessary barriers to the profession. To support the preparation of teachers of color, the state must: |
Tennessee invests in loan-forgiveness programs and the Minority Teaching Fellows Program which awards $5,000 per year for students of color who pursue a teacher certification at an eligible Tennessee college or university. The state also invested in the I-TEACH program granted through the Tennessee Higher Education Commission to support 12 teacher candidates over two years.
Therefore, the state earned a green in this category. For another example of a state that earned a green, see Florida’s Minority Teacher Education Scholars Program.
Tennessee includes standards for graduating candidates of color and an indicator for recruiting a more diverse teacher population in their educator preparation report cards.
Therefore, the state earned a green in this category. For another example of a state that earned a green, see Alabama’s program approval standards .
Tennessee specifically offered assessment alternatives that are oral-based for native language speakers of foreign languages. The state also eliminated the need to take the Praxis to come into the state which eliminates a significant financial barrier, and completed a first read and will have a second and final read in November 2020 to create a new math endorsement because the passing score for the Praxis in Secondary Math is high thus preventing well-qualified individuals from teaching algebra and geometry because of missing questions about calculus and trigonometry.
Therefore, the state earned a green in this category.
Tennessee partners with Tennessee State University, an historically Black university, on district-prep partnerships in 11 districts across the state to develop Grow Your Own programs . The state also awarded the university with three grants worth $125K for to support candidates to receive a Special Education Endorsement to teach in schools in Tennessee.
Therefore, the state earned a green in this category. For another example of a state that earned a green, see Virginia’s increased investment in local Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that prepare teachers of color to work in STEM fields.
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MEETS ALL OR MOST OF THE REQUIREMENTS
4: Target resources to districts and schools to support efforts to intentionally recruit and hire a diverse teaching workforceMany districts and schools across the country struggle to recruit and hire a more diverse teaching workforce using traditional methods. States play an important role in targeting resources toward these districts and schools to help develop initiatives that increase the racial diversity of the workforce. Research-based strategies that states should take to target resources toward these districts and schools include: |
Tennessee developed a competitive grant program in 2019 for Grow Your Own Programs and launched a competitive grant program in September 2020 with CARES Act funding to provide 20 partnerships with $100K to support expanding or forming Grow Your Own programming.
Therefore, the state earned a green in this category. For another example of a state that earned a green, see Texas’ Grow Your Own grant program .
Tennessee partnered with the Department of Human Resources to offer trainings on Unconscious Bias and Understanding and Embracing Diversity for all state employees, not just hiring managers in the state.
Therefore, the state earned a green in this category.
Tennessee does not invest in teacher academies or dual-enrollment programming to promote the teaching profession to a racially diverse set of students.
The state should invest in teacher academies or dual-enrollment program with the focus of attracting candidates of color and diversifying the educator workforce. For an example, see Oregon’s Minority Educator Pipeline Models Grant which provides funds to school districts and postsecondary institutions to create collaborative processes, including a high school cadet program to recruit future educators who are culturally and linguistically diverse.
Tennessee provided grants for partnerships between prep programs and districts to ensure targeted hiring.
Therefore, the state earned a green in this category. For another example of a state that earned a green, see Massachusetts’ investment in diversifying the superintendent pipeline.
Tennessee invested in the Diverse Leaders Network (within the Aspiring Administrators Academy) to support educators of color to acquire an administrator license and certification. There are currently 20 spots for 2021.
Therefore, the state earned a green in this category. For another example of a state that earned a green, see Massachusetts’ investment in diversifying the superintendent pipeline.
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SHOWS IMPROVEMENT
5: Invest in efforts to retain teachers of color including improving working conditions and providing opportunities for personal and professional growth for teachers of colorWhile many states have invested heavily in efforts to recruit teachers of color, these efforts are compromised when districts and schools have difficulty retaining teachers of color. States can improve retention of teachers of color by investing in programming that provides ongoing support and growth opportunities and improves poor working conditions that disproportionately affect teachers of color. Strategies that states should take to retain teachers of color include: |
Tennessee has a state board policy that requires candidates complete one of the following four types of clinical practice requirements in order to complete an educator preparation program: 1) student teaching, 2) internship, 3) job-embedded, or 4) instructional leader internship. The internship clinical practice must be for one year, of which at least 100 days include direct teaching experiences. In addition, through a competitive grant process, the department of education awarded grant dollars through the New Teacher Residency Program to Vanderbilt University Peabody College to develop a two-part residency program.
Therefore, the state earned a green in this category. For another example of a state that earned a green, see California’s investment in residency programs to recruit, develop support systems for, provide outreach and communication strategies to, and retain a diverse teacher workforce.
Tennessee invested in the Diverse Leaders Network (within the Aspiring Administrators Academy) to support educators of color to acquire an administrator license and certification. There are currently 20 spots for 2021.
Therefore, the state earned a green in this category. For another example of a state that earned a green, see Massachusetts’ investment in diversifying the superintendent pipeline .
Tennessee requires districts and schools to include strategies for improving on weaknesses in their school improvement plans and lists developing teacher induction programs as a strategy a school or district may adopt. State regulation also establishes that license applicants must be provided with a mentor teacher during their first year of teaching.
However, the state should invest in an induction and mentoring program that provides at least two years of support for new teachers. For an example, see Minnesota’s $6 million investment in 2022 and 2023 for districts to develop mentorship programs that prioritize teachers of color.
Tennessee partnered with the Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance (TECA) and the Tennessee Education Research Alliance (TERA) on educator diversity research and was part of a tour presenting these findings to educators across the state. The main topic was Improving Educator Diversity Across Tennessee: How We Can Better Recruit, Retain, and Support Teachers of Color with TECA and TERA both presenting their individual research. Along with the statewide tour, Tennessee presented on the same topic at the annual LEAD conference attended by thousands of educators, supervisor, principals and superintendents every year.
The state also worked to connect the HR Directors Association directly with TECA to support their efforts to increase the racial diversity of the workforce. The state has been able to work with the HR Directors Association to host a session at their upcoming annual conference led by TECA. Tennessee also includes guidance on creating culturally responsive school settings for school and district leaders through their Equity Playbook.
Therefore, the state earned a yellow in this category
6: Use federal COVID-related relief funds to invest in strategies to increase the racial diversity of the educator workforce.Through the American Rescue Plan (ARP), the federal government has invested $190 billion to support state and local efforts to provide high-quality instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of this money can — and should — be utilized to fund efforts to increase the racial diversity of the educator workforce through short- and long-term solutions. Each state submitted an ARP plan to invest funding to address several issues, including building strong and diverse workforces, and many states have used ESSER funds and other federal sources to invest in strategies to increase the diversity of the workforce. The information below represents the state’s effort to invest in teacher diversity strategies since March 2021: |
In the Tennessee state ARP plan the SEA wrote that it added alternative assessment options for educators in shortage areas. It has also supported LEAs to expand their pipelines by putting forth an opportunity for LEAs to become EPPs. In addition, the state has supported expanding the pipelines of educators while also diversifying the profession with its Grow Your Own (GYO) program.
Other Federal Investments to Note:
TAPPING INTO THE AFTER-SCHOOL PIPELINE
One underutilized strategy for increasing the racial diversity of the teacher workforce is to recruit and prepare those who have experience working in after-school or out-of-school time (OST) programs to enter the teaching profession. State policymakers can adopt policies to build this potentially high-leverage pipeline of teachers of color into the profession. To do so effectively, they must not only increase targeted recruitment of after-school/OST staff but also structure programming to draw upon this group’s experiences while they’re enrolled in preparation programs.
Here are three ways to build an after-school pipeline:
State Actions:
Provide funding, guidance, and support for Grow Your Own (GYO) programs, which traditionally attract candidates of color
Investment in partnerships between districts and teacher preparation programs, particularly minority serving institutions, to ensure targeted hiring
State Actions:
Investment in scholarship and loan forgiveness programs to attract students of color into teacher preparation programs
State Actions:
Adopted rigorous program approval standards for teacher preparation programs to recruit and graduate candidates
