The United States has become increasingly diverse, but the American professoriate has not kept pace. Nationwide, nearly three quarters of all college faculty are White. That figure is even higher in rural institutions, where minority faculty comprise only 15% of the total. This is problematic because research has shown that students of all races…

This study delves into the relationships between strategic recruitment and retention practices implemented by rural Minnesota school districts and the recruitment and retention rates of teachers of color within these districts. The research assesses whether districts implementing strategic recruitment practices demonstrate a higher proportion of…

Thirty years ago, "Problems, process, and promise: Reflections on a collaborative approach to the solution of the minority teacher shortage" (Goodwin, 1991) offered a perspective on an approach to the "minority" teacher shortage. That piece represented the start of the author's life-long work on teacher preparation, with a…

Teachers of color are generally recruited in five documented ways: (1) Financial incentives; (2) State government mandates; (3) State-supported recruitment programs; (4) District recruitment centers; and (5) Alternative certification routes. This document highlights what the research says is the most effective.

Background: The Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) Grant Program aims to increase the number of highly effective educators by supporting the implementation of evidence-based practices that prepare, develop, or enhance the skills of educators. The three central goals of this program are: (1) Recruit, prepare, and retain effective and…

Violet Jiménez Sims, Kerry Lord, Marlene Megos, and Ushawnda Mitchell describe a new approach to addressing the gap between the racial diversity of teachers and students in U.S. public schools. The Connecticut Teacher Residency program (CT-TRP) is a grow-your-own approach to teacher training, certification, and retention that combines an academic…

Racially and ethnically minoritized students are now the majority in U.S. public schools. This demographic change, along with heightened attention to racial injustice and evidence regarding the importance of Black teachers, has renewed a decades-old push to increase their numbers. Redesigning teacher education and development to support the…

This study investigates how higher education institutions attract and retain faculty of color. There is a deficit of minority representation in professorship. Specifically, over 80% of all full professors employed at four-year institutions are White (Espinosa et al., 2019). Gasman's (2022) and Bell's (1992) literature has impacted this study…

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to gain insight into the factors that influence male elementary teachers' decisions to remain in the classroom. Eight current male elementary classroom teachers with at least 5 years of experience were interviewed regarding their lived experiences as male elementary school teachers. The…

Kappa Delta Pi's Diversity Summit in 2020 offered educators the opportunity to discuss the question "What policies need to change to prevent the exodus of prospective teachers of color and teachers of color?" Based on the proceedings, this article addresses policy, advocacy, and allyship for people of color from the prospective teacher…

Teacher recruitment is a pressing need in the United States. Equally important is the recruitment of more racial-minority teachers to help close the teacher-student diversity gap. We surveyed 300 undergraduates at our university regarding their perspectives on teaching careers--what they found attractive and deterring. Results from this survey and…

In order to address the nationwide problem of teaching shortages impacting Rhode Island schools, the Rhode Island Department of Education's (RIDE) 2021-2027 Strategic Plan commits to supporting local education agencies in the development of strategies to attract, recruit, and retain a highly skilled and diverse workforce that reflects Rhode…

This dissertation examines the troubling underrepresentation of staff of color in Pacific Northwest community colleges. Despite the proven benefits of racial staff diversity in promoting student success, community colleges face challenges in recruiting and retaining staff of color. Existing literature concerning non-teaching staff at community…

Women of color (WOC) faculty are vastly underrepresented in STEM departments and continue to face daunting challenges that impact their recruitment, retention, and promotion. Research demonstrates that the underrepresentation of women of color STEM faculty is occasioned by numerous factors, including structural and systematic issues such as chilly…

There is little doubt that increasing the racial and ethnic diversity of the educator workforce is needed in Connecticut. Students of color represent 51.4% of the state's student body, yet only 1 in 10 teachers is an educator of color. Having a more diverse teaching corps matters. Teachers of color positively impact the academic achievement of…