Indicator: Representational racial and ethnic diversity of educators

Why it matters

Students benefit from being taught by a racially and ethnically diverse teaching staff, with students of color in particular benefiting from having teachers of their own race or ethnicity. Research links student-teacher race match to positive outcomes for students of color, including higher achievement; reduced experiences of exclusionary discipline; increased referrals for gifted and talented programs; decreased likelihood of dropping out of school; increased parental engagement; and better school adjustment. As just one example, when Black boys have a Black teacher, they are 15 to 18 percent less likely to be subjected to exclusionary discipline.  However, Black and Latino teachers are underrepresented in the teaching force relative to the population of students. Whereas only 47 percent of U.S. elementary and secondary students in 2017 were White, 79 percent of teachers were White. Meanwhile, only 6 percent of teachers were Black, compared to 15 percent of students, and 9 percent of teachers were Latino, compared to 27 percent of students. At the postsecondary level, Black and Latino instructors are also underrepresented relative to the population of students attending college.