According to the report by The Education Trust - New York released on Monday, Dec. 12, more than one in five New York students attend schools without any teachers of color on staff, which leaves many students of color without access to teachers of the same race, officials from the organization said.
Of these students, about one in ten Black and Latinx students attend schools without teachers of the same race, while the amount of Asian and Native American students attending schools without teachers of the same race is 19% and 76%, respectively, according to the report.
Additionally, the report also found that between the 2018-2019 and 2021-2022 school years, the racial and ethnic makeup of the teacher workforce in New York has "remained relatively stagnant," the report said.
Providing students with a diverse teacher workforce is important for helping students from all backgrounds succeed, according to officials from the organization.
"Studies indicate that for students of color, having a teacher of color during their educational experience can have a positive impact on improving student performance," said organization spokesperson Tiffany Lankes.
The report recommends that school districts use American Rescue Plan Act funding to support initiatives to support programs that better prepare people of color to become teachers, and support the hiring of a diverse teacher workforce.
Click here to read the full report from The Education Trust - New York.
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