The U.S. Department of Education has released a new report documenting the state of racial diversity among the nation’s teachers. Here are some of the important findings in the report:
- Some 82 percent of all teachers and elementary and secondary schools were White in the 2011-12 school year. This is down from 87 percent in the 1987-1988 school year. But this is limited progress over a quarter of a century when the nation’s schools have become increasingly populated with students from non-White racial and ethnic groups. The percentage of Black educators actually declined during the 25-year period.
- In the 2012-13 academic year, 25 percent of the enrollments in teacher preparation programs at colleges and universities were students of color. The same year, students of color made up 37 percent of the total enrollments, regardless of their major discipline.
- The six-year college graduation rate for students who majored in education is 73 percent. For Black students majoring in education, the college graduation rate is 42 percent.
- Some 16 percent of all Black students enrolled in college-level teacher preparation programs attend historically Black colleges and universities.
The full report, The State of Racial Diversity in the Educator Workforce, may be downloaded by clicking here.
