Dive Brief:
- An investigation by the Colorado-based Investigative News Network found that the state’s largest school districts, which enroll large numbers of minority students, struggle to hire black and Latino teachers.
- In 2014, black students outnumbered black teachers 51 to 1 in Denver, 97 to 1 in nearby Aurora, and 85 to 1 in suburban Jefferson County.
- Though the ratios have worsened for black teachers since 1970, the numbers for Latino teachers have improved. In Denver, Latino teachers were outnumbered 51 to 1 in 2014, compared with 206 to 1 in 1970.
Dive Insight:
Colorado isn’t the only state to struggle with recruiting teachers of color. Experts and recent studies have called attention to the predominantly white teacher workforce, even as white students have become the minority in many public schools. Denver’s superintendent pointed the finger at Colorado’s teaching schools, where 72% of students are white — a phenomenon that may be happening elsewhere. Others have instead accused the district of undervaluing the accomplishments of black — especially black female — teachers, with district records showing that black teachers are fired at rates higher than those of other races.
But for those looking to tackle the problem, Denver also offers some potential fixes. The city has aggressively recruited top minority teaching candidates from across the country and has begun developing alternate teacher training programs to open doors for minority candidates.