National statistics point to the ever-decreasing number of minority teachers in public schools across the country. According to the Center for American Progress, minority students make up 40.7 percent of the U.S. public school population while minority teachers represent only about 14.6 percent of the teaching workforce; and in over 40 percent of public schools there is not a single teacher of color. The ethnicity and cultural competence of teachers are cited as key factors in ensuring students’ academic achievement and holistic development.
Building diverse human capital in our nation’s schools requires a two-fold approach of recruitment and retention. This petition was created to attract national attention and support for recruiting and retaining teachers of color in the public schools.