Educator Diversity State Profile: Louisiana

Louisiana Demographic Data (2019-20) - Research says that teacher diversity benefits all students, regardless of race or ethnicity. However, while the majority of students in the u.s. Are of color, only about 20% of teachers are of color.

files 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.

Louisiana Demographic Data (2018-19)

Student Data Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), 2017-18.

Teacher Data Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), 2017-18.

Race/ethnicityStudentsTeachers2Paraprofessionals3
Asian1.6%0.9%1%
Black42.9%23.5%44%
Latino8.4%1.9%3%
Multiracial2.9%0.4%0%
American Indian / Alaska Native0.6% 0.3% 1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1% 0.1% 0%
White43.9%73%51%
Total Percentage of People of Color54.5%26.1%48%

1.The data was pulled from K-12 public and charter schools in the state, [2. K-12 classroom teacher full-time equivalents, 3. Paraprofessional full-time equivalents
4. People of color describes people who identify as Black, Latino, multiracial, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

Schools With No Teachers of Color9.7%
Percentage of All Students in Schools with No Teachers of Color7%

To examine whether students have access to diverse teachers in their schools, we analyzed school-level data on teacher and student race and ethnicity. Below are state-level findings regarding students’ access to teachers of color and same-race teachers as well as the prevalence of teachers 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
AsianBlackLatinoMultiracialAmerican Indian/ Alaska NativeNative Haw./ Pac. IslanderWhite
Percent of students attending schools with no teachers of color*1.7%4.2%***49.2%
Percent of students attending schools with no same-race teachers*3%37%***0.0%
Percent of students attending schools with <5% same-race teachers*90.6%25.9%***100%
Percent of teachers working in schools with no other same-race teacher38.6%1.3%28%46%65.5%81.5%0.0%
*Too few students or teachers

Access to Non-Novice Teachers in Louisiana

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 Louisiana:

Disparities between schools serving the most and fewest Black students
Schools Serving the Most Black StudentsSchools Serving the Fewest Black Students
Percent Novice Teachers23%11%
Percent First-Year Teachers12%4%
Disparities between schools serving the most and fewest Latino students
Schools Serving the Most Latino StudentsSchools Serving the Fewest Latino Students
Percent Novice Teachers15%20%
Percent First-Year Teachers9%8%
Disparities between Black and Non-Black Students
 Black StudentsNon-Black Students
Percent of Students in schools with High (>20%) percentages of Novice Teachers33%18%
Percent of Students in schools with High (>20%) percentages of Uncertified Teachers34%14%
Disparities between Latino and Non-Latino Students
Latino StudentsNon-Latino Students
Percent of Students in schools with High (>20%) percentages of Novice Teachers30%24%
Percent of Students in schools with High (>20%) percentages of Uncertified Teachers21%23%

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

Policy Scan

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

Meets Criteria
Partially Meets Criteria
Does Not Meet Criteria

Goals

  1. Make educator diversity data visible and actionable to stakeholders
  2. Set clear goals at the state and district level to increase student access to diverse educators
  3. Invest in educator preparation programs to increase enrollment and improve the preparation of teachers of color
  4. Target resources to districts and schools to support efforts that intentionally recruit and hire a diverse teaching workforce
  5. Invest in efforts to retain teachers of color that improve working conditions and provide opportunities for personal and professional growth
  6. Use federal COVID-related relief funds to invest in strategies that increase the racial diversity of the educator workforce
MEETS ALL OR MOST OF THE REQUIREMENTS

1: Make Educator Diversity Data Visible and Actionable to Stakeholders

For 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:

Criteria
MEETS ALL OR MOST OF THE REQUIREMENTS
Share annual school-level information about the racial demographics of the educator workforce, including online in a dashboard, school report cards, or a state-developed report on the diversity of the educator workforce
State Actions

Louisiana posts school-level data on the racial demographics of the educatot workforce on the state website through their Educator Workforce Reports and through the Louisiana School Finder.

Therefore, the state earned a green in this category. For another example of a state that earned a green, see Massachusetts’ data dashboard .

Rating Methodology:

Publicly available school-level data about the racial demographics of the teacher workforce included in a dashboard, report card, or report on the state of the teacher workforce
Publicly available district-level information about the racial demographics of the teacher workforce included in a dashboard, report card, or report on the state of teacher workforce
State-level information or no publicly available data on the racial demographics of the educator workforce
Criteria
MEETS ALL OR MOST OF THE REQUIREMENTS
Share the racial makeup of candidates attending in-state teacher preparation programs annually, included online in a dashboard, school report cards, or a state-developed report on the diversity of the educator workforce
State Actions

Louisiana posts program-level data on the racial makeup of candidates that complete in-state teacher preparation programs on the state’s Louisiana Teacher Prep website.

Therefore, the state earned a green in this category. For another example of a state that earned a green, see Illinois’ Annual Program Reporting system .

Rating Methodology:

Publicly available data on the racial makeup of candidates completing in-state teacher preparation programs by program-level each year, located through a state report or program report cards on the state-led website
Publicly available data on website with state-level diversity of candidates completing teacher preparation programs
Racial makeup of program completers at in-state teacher preparation programs not publicly available at all
Criteria
MEETS ALL OR MOST OF THE REQUIREMENTS
Share the racial makeup of candidates completing in-state teacher preparation programs annually, included online in a dashboard, school report cards, or a state-developed report on the diversity of the educator workforce
State Actions

Louisiana posts program-level data on the racial makeup of candidates that complete in-state teacher preparation programs on the state’s Louisiana Teacher Prep website.

Therefore, the state earned a green in this category. For another example of a state that earned a green, see Tennessee’s dashboard of the number of racially diverse candidate completers at each educator preparation program.

Rating Methodology:

Publicly available data on the racial makeup of candidates completing in-state teacher preparation programs by program-level each year, located through a state report or program report cards on the state-led website
Publicly available data on website with state-level diversity of candidates completing teacher preparation programs
Racial makeup of program completers at in-state teacher preparation programs not publicly available
Criteria
MEETS ONE OR NO REQUIREMENTS
Publicly available persistence data disaggregated by race/ethnicity on teachers who remain in the profession
State Actions

Louisiana does not post information about the retention rates of educators of color on the state website.

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 .

Rating Methodology:

Publicly available retention or turnover data disaggregated by race/ethnicity at the school-level
Publicly available retention or turnover data disaggregated by race/ethnicity at the state or district-level
No data available on retention or turnover by race/ethnicity
MEETS SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS

2: Set clear goals at the state and district level to increase student access to diverse educators

Criteria
MEETS SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS
Set a clear, numeric goal for increasing the racial diversity of the educator workforce that is measurable, publicly available, and includes a goal that is limited in time (e.g., within five years).
State Actions

Louisiana publicly set goals through CCSSO’s Diverse and Learner Ready Teachers Initiative but does not include them on their state website.

However, the state should create a clear, numeric goal that is measurable, limited in time, and publicly available. For an example, see Arkansas’ goal to increase the number of minority teachers in public schools by 25% in 2025.

Rating Methodology:

Has clear, numeric goal for increasing the racial diversity of the educator workforce that is measurable, publicly available, and includes a goal that is limited in time (e.g., increasing percentage of teachers of color by 25% in five years)
Has publicly stated a goal or desire to increase the diversity of the workforce, but the goal is not numeric, measurable, nor includes a goal that is limited in time
Has no publicly stated goal for increasing teacher diversity
Criteria
SHOWS IMPROVEMENT
Offer opportunities to local stakeholders to provide input on and support for the goals
State Actions

Louisiana conducted a listening tour with the new superintendent on the educator workforce to provide an opportunity to share the priorities and focus areas — one being recruiting and retaining a diverse, highly effective workforce. The state recruitment recovery and retention task force has also reviewed data and heard from stakeholders about recommendations to improve educator diversity.

Therefore, the state received a green rating.

Rating Methodology:

Makes an intentional effort to engage local stakeholders to provide input and support on educator diversity goals including through stakeholder forums, listening tours, and meetings with key education advocacy groups
Offers public comment on legislation or policy changes related to efforts to increase the racial diversity of the educator workforce
Does not provide opportunities to local stakeholders to provide input and support for the goals
Criteria
MEETS SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS
Provide funding and guidance for districts and/ or educator preparation programs to set goals and invest in strategies to increase the racial diversity of their educator populations
State Actions

Louisiana releases funding guidance and opportunities for school systems to request funding to identify, recruit, and coach talent, especially in high-needs schools and high-needs content areas, and systems may use the funding to diversify the workforce.

The state should provide guidance and funding for districts and/or educator preparation programs to set goals, implement strategies, and develop plans to monitor progress. For an example, see New Jersey’s Diversifying the Teacher Pipeline Competitive Grant Program for educator preparation programs to expand and develop plans to recruit and prepare more educators of color to meet the needs of partnering local education agencies (LEAs).

Rating Methodology:

Provided guidance and funding in the last five years for districts and/or preparation programs to set goals and invest in strategies to increase the racial diversity of the workforce
Provided guidance to districts and/or preparation programs in the last five years for setting goals and investing in strategies to increase the racial diversity of the workforce, but does not provide funding
No guidance or funding for districts and/or preparation programs to set goals and invest in strategies to increase the racial diversity of the workforce
Criteria
MEETS ALL OR MOST OF THE REQUIREMENTS
Develop a task force, advisory group, or role within the state education agency with access to leadership to examine, create, and monitor strategies to increase the racial diversity of the educator workforce
State Actions

Louisiana 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.

Rating Methodology:

Publicly shared information about a task force or advisory group that created a report or brief that includes data and recommendations to increase the racial diversity of the workforce at the state-level
Publicly announced the formation of a group to examine or support educator diversity efforts at the state-level with no evidence of products that include data, recommendations, or state-level actions to address the racial diversity of the workforce
No publicly announced group to examine educator diversity
MEETS ONE OR NO REQUIREMENTS

3: Invest in educator preparation programs to increase enrollment and improve the preparation of teachers of color

States 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:

Criteria
MEETS ONE OR NO REQUIREMENTS
Invest in scholarship and loan forgiveness programs to attract students of color into preparation programs and the teaching profession
State Actions

Louisiana does not invest in scholarships and/or loan-forgiveness programs to attract students of color into teacher preparation programs.

The state should invest in scholarships and/or loan forgiveness programs that target students of color. For an example, see Florida’s Minority Teacher Education Scholars Program.

Rating Methodology:

Investment in scholarship and/or loan forgiveness programs with the focus of attracting candidates of color and diversifying the educator workforce
Investment in scholarship and/or loan forgiveness programs that help attract all candidates to the profession but does not prioritize candidates of color
No investment in scholarship and loan forgiveness programs to recruit future candidates
Criteria
MEETS ALL OR MOST OF THE REQUIREMENTS
Adopt rigorous program approval standards to compel teacher preparation programs to recruit and graduate candidates of color
State Actions

Louisiana holds providers accountable to recruit and graduate candidates of color through the preparation program experience domain, which accounts for 50% of the overall accountability rating. The 2020 onsite review framework includes the quality of recruitment of selection domain, which has measures around diversifying the workforce.

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.

Rating Methodology:

Program approval standard requires programs to report plans or efforts to recruit and/or support candidates of color
Programs are required to share data on specific outcomes related to graduating and enrolling candidates of color but no requirement to share plans or efforts to intentionally recruit or graduate candidates of color
No mention of recruiting or graduating candidates of color from preparation programs
Criteria
MEETS ONE OR NO REQUIREMENTS
Interrogate licensure policies for racial bias and adopt licensure policies that increase diversity while maintaining quality and rigor
State Actions

Louisiana has not interrogated licensure policies for ethno-racial bias.

The state should take concrete actions to change licensure policies to increase diversity including eliminating assessments or other burdensome licensure requirements that disproportionally affect candidates of color.

Rating Methodology:

Took concrete actions to change licensure policies to increase diversity, including eliminating assessments or other burdensome licensure requirements that disproportionally affect candidates of color
Stated the priority to interrogate licensure policies and took one or more the following actions: 1) Statutory mandates to report and continuously monitor trends on passage rates and how policies impact candidates of color; 2) Convened a set of practitioners to interrogate licensure policies for ethno-racial bias and issued recommendations for state action to remedy bias
No efforts to interrogate licensure policies for racial bias or adopt licensure policies that increase diversity while maintaining quality and rigor
Criteria
MEETS SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS
Invest in preparation programs that prepare a high number of teachers of color, including minority serving institutions
State Actions

Louisiana developed an HBCU advisory council in 2018 to strengthen the capacity of HBCUs to participate in workforce development activities and take advantage of state program opportunities. The state also received a federal grant for a partnership with Xavier University and alternative certification programs to prepare 900 diverse educators by 2020.

However, the state should invest in supports and incentives for programs that prepare a high number of teachers of color, including MSIs, to grow their efforts to recruit and graduate more teachers of color. For an example, see Virginia’s increased investment in local HBCUs that prepare teachers of color to work in STEM fields.

Rating Methodology:

Investment in minority-serving institutions (MSIs) or programs that recruit and support candidates of color through grants or other funding sources dedicated to replicating and expanding their success in attracting and preparing candidates of color and diversifying the educator workforce
Guidance or recommendation to recruit from or develop partnerships with minority-serving institutions
No intentional investment in MSIs or programs that prepare a disproportionate number of candidates of color
MEETS SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS

4: Target resources to districts and schools to support efforts to intentionally recruit and hire a diverse teaching workforce

Many 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:

Criteria
MEETS SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS
Providing funding, guidance, and public support for Grow Your Own (GYO) programs that attract candidates of color
State Actions

Louisiana provides funding for paraprofessionals to pursue a teaching degree in the state.

However, the state should invest in GYO programs and ensure that districts have strategic approaches to building and supporting these programs. For an example, see Texas’ Grow Your Own grant program.

Rating Methodology:

Includes developing and expanding GYO programming as a priority through a change to state education agency or state-level legislation, funds GYO programming from the state level, and provides state-led guidance on developing GYO programming
Positive policy conditions to encourage districts/preparation programs to develop GYO programming (e.g., providing scholarships or stipends to paraprofessionals to complete licensure requirements to become teachers); or provides guidance or encouragement through their SEA website to create GYO programs
No state support for GYO programs
Criteria
SHOWS IMPROVEMENT
Investing in and providing guidance on cultural competence and anti-bias trainings and resources for hiring managers
State Actions

Louisiana provides content on cultural competence at the Recruitment and Retention Fellowship for HR leaders, content through the Aspiring Principals Fellowship, and support and training for schools labeled Urgent Intervention Required for Discipline.

Therefore, the state earned a green in this category.

Rating Methodology:

Provides professional develop and training on cultural competence and/or anti-bias practices for hiring managers at the state level to increase the racial diversity of the workforce
Provides resources for hiring managers at the state and district level to help increase the racial diversity of the workforce
No evidence of investment in resources or trainings on cultural competence and/or anti-bias practices for hiring managers at the state level to increase the racial diversity of the workforce
Criteria
MEETS ALL OR MOST OF THE REQUIREMENTS
Investment in teacher academies and dual-enrollment programming to promote the teaching profession to a racially diverse group of students
State Actions

Louisiana partners with the Educators Rising Louisiana chapter to work with local schools to build a pipeline of local educators with a specific focus on increasing the racial diversity of the educator workforce. The SEA also approved the Pre-Educator Pathway in 2019 to support High School students in pursuing a career in education.

Therefore, the state earned a green in this category. For another example of a state that earned a green, 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.

Rating Methodology:

Investment in teacher academies and dual-enrollment programming with the focus on attracting candidates of color and diversifying the educator workforce
Investment in teacher academies and/or dual-enrollment programming that help all candidates to the profession but does not prioritize candidates of color
No investment in teacher academies and dual-enrollment programming to recruit future candidates
Criteria
MEETS SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS
Investing in partnerships between districts and teacher preparation programs, particularly programs with a diverse candidate population, to ensure targeted hiring
State Actions

Louisiana releases funding guidance and opportunities for school systems to request funding to support talent management programming and must identify and partner with teacher preparation programs to meet at least three of their educator workforce needs.

However, the state should invest in partnerships between districts and teacher preparation programs with the focus of attracting candidates of color to diversify the educator workforce. For an example, see New York’s Teacher Diversity Pipeline Pilot program that funds partnerships between districts, preparation programs, and other entities to assist teacher aides and teaching assistants in obtaining teacher certifications.

Rating Methodology:

Investment in partnerships between districts and teacher preparation programs, particularly minority-serving institutions, with the focus of attracting candidates of color and diversify the educator workforce
Investment in partnerships between districts and teacher preparation programs that help attract all candidates to the profession but does not prioritize candidates of color
No investment in partnerships between districts and teacher preparation programs to recruit future candidates
Criteria
MEETS ONE OR NO REQUIREMENTS
Investing in diversifying the educator workforce in areas that influence hiring and recruitment decisions, including the education leaders at teacher preparation programs, district leadership, and school leadership
State Actions

Louisiana does not invest in diversifying the educator workforce in areas that influence hiring and recruitment decisions.

The state should invest in diversifying the educator workforce in areas that influence hiring and recruitment decisions, including the education leaders at teacher preparation programs, district leadership, and school leadership. For an example, see Massachusetts’ investment in diversifying the superintendent pipeline.

Rating Methodology:

Investment in programming that increases the diversity in faculty in teacher preparation programs, district leadership, school leadership, or other areas that influence hiring and recruitment decisions
Yellow: Commitment to the diversity of the educator workforce in areas that influence hiring and recruitment decisions including requiring programs and districts to report on efforts to increase the diversity of their workforces in these areas
No evidence of programming or support in this space
MEETS SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS

5: Invest in efforts to retain teachers of color including improving working conditions and providing opportunities for personal and professional growth for teachers of color

While 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:

Criteria
MEETS ALL OR MOST OF THE REQUIREMENTS
Investing in high-retention pathways to teaching, including residency models and alternative certification programs that traditionally support and develop teachers of color
State Actions

Louisiana created “Believe and Prepare,” an initiative in which all teacher preparation programs include a yearlong residency alongside an expert mentor in partnership with LEAs across the state.

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 that recruit, develop support systems for, provide outreach and communication strategies to recruit and retain a diverse teacher workforce.

Rating Methodology:

State investment in residency programming including financial investment in programs at the preparation level; investment in alternative certification programming to recruit and support teachers of color
Flexible licensure requirements that provide the opportunity for alternative certification programs to recruit and prepare candidates of color or candidates from non-traditional pathways; guidance for running residency programs; and/or public support for residency programs locally
No investment or policy support for residency programming or alternative certification programming
Criteria
MEETS SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS
Investing in opportunities for teachers of color to grow and develop in their abilities and their qualification for leadership roles, including targeted professional development, cohort models, and continuing education opportunities
State Actions

Louisiana invests in multiple state-led teacher leadership development and leadership pipeline opportunities for current classroom teachers.

However, the state does not provide professional learning opportunities for teachers of color to grow their leadership abilities nor does it invest in pathways to leadership opportunities for teachers of color. For an example, see Massachusetts’ investment in diversifying the superintendent pipeline.

Rating Methodology:

Professional development opportunities for teachers of color to grow leadership abilities and investing in pathways to leadership opportunities for teachers of color
Teacher leadership opportunities and/or opportunities to develop leadership qualities for all teachers but none that target or prioritize teachers of color
No targeted leadership development opportunities
Criteria
MEETS SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS
Investing in induction and mentoring programs that provide support to teachers of color early in their careers
State Actions

Louisiana state statute established a new teacher mentorship pilot program in which one school within each system will be selected to participate and in which new teachers and eligible mentor teachers at the school may select to participate.

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.

Rating Methodology:

Professional development opportunities for teachers of color to grow leadership abilities and investing in pathways to leadership opportunities for teachers of color
Teacher leadership opportunities and/or opportunities to develop leadership qualities for all teachers but none that target or prioritize teachers of color
No targeted leadership development opportunities
Criteria
SHOWS IMPROVEMENT
Investing in and providing guidance on cultural competence and anti-bias professional learning opportunities for school and district leaders
State Actions

Louisiana hosted sessions on cultural competence and anti-bias at its annual Teacher Leader Summit and provides support and training for schools labeled Urgent Intervention Required for Discipline on cultural competence and anti-bias instruction.

Therefore, the state earned a green in this category.

Rating Methodology:

State-led professional learning sessions for district and school leaders
Guidance on ways to ensure cultural competence for district and school leaders
No evidence of programming or support in this space

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:

State Actions

State ARP Plan:

In the Louisiana state ARP plan, the SEA wrote that it plans to use ARP funds to support the Louisiana pre-educator pathway. In 2020-2021, the state provided funding to support school systems in piloting Grow Your Own programs. The state also provides feedback to teacher preparation programs through the preparation provider accountability system.

Investments to Date

Louisiana used $1.19 million in ESSER funding from all three rounds to support the Louisiana Pre-Educator Pathways, which aims to recruit and retain teachers of color. LEAs in the state also used a total of $241,000 in tuition assistance for paraprofessionals enrolled in educator preparation programs, and $340,000 to support teacher residency programs.

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:

1. Allocate resources to establish and strengthen recruitment relationships between nontraditional teacher preparation programs and after-school/OST service providers.

State Actions:

MEETS ALL OR MOST OF THE REQUIREMENTS

Provide funding, guidance, and support for Grow Your Own (GYO) programs, which traditionally attract candidates of color

  • Louisiana provides funding for paraprofessionals to pursue a teaching degree in the state.·Investment in partnerships between districts and teacher preparation programs, particularly minority-serving institutions, to ensure targeted hiring
MEETS SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS

Investment in partnerships between districts and teacher preparation programs, particularly minority serving institutions, to ensure targeted hiring

  • Louisiana releases funding guidance and opportunities for school systems to request funding to support talent management programming and must identify and partner with teacher preparation programs to meet at least three of their educator workforce needs.

2. Increase investments in scholarships, loan forgiveness opportunities, and tuition reimbursements for teacher candidates with after-school/OST experience, with a particular focus on candidates of color and participants in
GYO programs.

State Actions:

MEETS ONE OR NO REQUIREMENTS

Investment in scholarship and loan forgiveness programs to attract students of color into teacher preparation programs

  • Louisiana does not invest in scholarships and/or loan forgiveness programs to attract students of color into teacher preparation programs.

3. Adopt statewide guidelines and invest in supports for nontraditional teacher preparation pathways that include teacher licensure test preparation, and at least one year of mentor teacher support and coaching before
participants enter the classroom as teachers of record.

State Actions:

MEETS SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS

Adopted rigorous program approval standards for teacher preparation programs to recruit and graduate candidates

  • Louisiana holds providers accountable to recruit and graduate candidates of color through the preparation program experience domain, which accounts for 50% of the overall accountability rating. The 2020 onsite review framework has the quality of recruitment of selection domain, which includes measures around diversifying the workforce.