Despite increasing racial diversity among K-12 students, teachers are becoming less diverse, according to a new report from the Center for American Progress. Teacher Diversity Matters analyzes teacher diversity by ranking states on a “teacher diversity index” – the ratio between teachers of color and students of color. The report finds that teacher diversity has worsened in the last five years. While students of color now outnumber white students, teacher diversity has decreased since 2011. These findings come at a time when a growing body of research shows that teachers of color are beneficial for student engagement, particularly in diverse classrooms, according to the report.
