More than Numbers: Recruitment and Retention of Teachers of Color in U.S. Public Schools

Abstract

Recent scholarship has demonstrated the improved educational outcome of students of color when their teachers are of a similar background (Villegas & Irvine, 2010). In addition to this work, there is research that shows that teachers of color leave the profession due to the lack of agency and voice in decision making and racially hostile climate for teachers of color (Achinstein & Ogawa, 2011; Kohli, 2016). This article presents a case for recruiting teachers of color and the development and support for programs that would lower teacher turnover rates. In addition, I present possible and endorse existing programs to recruit teachers of color and create more democratic schools. I end with a call for research to address the racial hostility that exists in schools to not only keep teachers in schools, but to improve the educational experiences of students of color.