A diverse teacher workforce has the potential to improve outcomes for all students, and especially for students of color. North Carolina has recognized the importance of increasing diversity in the workforce and despite national and local efforts from school districts and policy makers, the teaching workforce has remained largely white and female, even as the students they serve have become increasingly diverse, widening the racial gap between teachers and students. Although attempts have been made to increase the numbers of teachers of color, the nation's public schools are far from reflecting the diversity of the student populations they serve. Among many barriers that may contribute to this mismatch, this brief focuses on four areas: preparation, debt accumulation, completion, and retention. This brief seeks to draw attention to these barriers and make recommendations to policymakers to address these barriers in order to create and sustain a robust and diverse teacher workforce that reflects the diversity of the students it serves.