Several prior studies have found Black students benefit academically when they are taught by Black teachers. However, despite students of color representing over half of all K-12 public school students, less than 7 percent of teachers in U.S. public schools are Black.
Now, the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) has announced a new initiative aimed at empowering parents and communities to invest in the Black teacher workforce and improve K-12 education outcomes for Black students.
“It is abundantly clear when parents and communities join forces and advocate for change, they ensure this work is not just a movement, but a sustained commitment to excellence for generations to come,” said UNCF President Michael L. Lomax. “We can build the dynamic teacher workforce our children deserve.”
The “Hear Us, Believe Us, Invest In Us: Helping Parents Advocate for Black Teachers” toolkit is designed to help mobilize parents to advocate for more Black teachers with the support of locally elected officials, school board representatives, assistant and district superintendents, parent/teacher organizations, student-led organizations, and community advocacy groups.
Developed in partnership with the Center for Black Educator Development, the toolkit provides guidelines on how to partner with local organizations and celebrate Black teachers through social media campaigns, as well as a template for parents to use when contacting their local representatives to advocate for more Black teachers.
“The stakes are high for our Black students,” said Sharif El-Mekki, founder and CEO of the Center for Black Educator Development. “The need for parent involvement in the work to bring more Black teachers into the service of our young people is greater now more than ever. The path to educational equity is incomplete without the active involvement of Black parents as advocates for change.”
