Diverse, High Quality Teachers

Hiring, developing and retaining diverse, high-quality educators is one of the best ways to prioritize educational equity and ultimately advance student success

Why it matters

Research shows that when students of color have access to teachers of the same race, they are more likely to attend school regularly, enroll in advanced courses, graduate from high school, and aspire to attend college.

Teaching that acknowledges and connects with students’ cultural backgrounds leads to increased academic engagement and better outcomes.

In Minnesota, we have some work to do to ensure the teacher workforce is representative of the student population.

36%

of students in Minnesota identify as BIPOC

of the teaching workforce in Minnesota identifies as BIPOC

Putting it into practice

Supporting School Talent

Great MN Schools plays a pivotal role in assisting schools in their endeavors to achieve equity goals and uphold essential values. Our Talent Book, co-designed by EdFuel, offers school leaders invaluable guidance on implementing strategies for establishing and maintaining effective talent management systems.

Additionally, to further aid schools on this journey, Great MN Schools organizes a Talent Cohort. This year, 13 schools are actively participating in the cohort, focusing on effective teacher recruitment, hiring, development, and retention.

“After going through the Talent Cohort, schools feel different. The adults in the building can be present because there is stability, a culture built up. The students are supported in a way that meets their unique needs. The whole system works differently when there is stability and high-quality teachers in the building.” – Marguerite Thibodeaux, Director, EdFuel

School quality that includes a lens on equity

*Excerpt from a schools’ equity performance rating in the Minneapolis School Finder*

Great MN Schools is striving to make school data more transparent and accessible to families. Tools like the Minneapolis School Finder consider academic performance, school climate, and equity measures to provide families with a comprehensive view of school quality. The equity performance rating examines disparities among student groups in areas such as proficiency, progress, and attendance, shedding light on whether students are being served equitably.

Furthermore, the equity rating monitors whether the teaching staff reflects the diversity of the student population.

85%

of 200 surveyed families found our ratings influential in their school selection

Featured Partners

EdFuel

The mission of EdFuel is to empower education organizations to effectively recruit and retain diverse and high-quality staff through comprehensive and equitable talent management systems.

Together we created the Talent Playbook and host a Talent Cohort for school leaders in our network each year.

Ed Allies

EdAllies works to advance policies that put underserved students first, remove barriers facing successful schools and programs, and foster an inclusive conversation about what’s possible for students.

One of their key issue areas is ensuring teacher licensure pathways and policies at the Capitol remain favorable for our aims to strengthen and diversify the teacher workforce.

TNTP: Teach MN

Teach Minnesota is one of the state’s first alternative routes to certification — a cohort of talented professionals who are ready to change the game for students. Teach Minnesota uses a proven national Teaching Fellows model that’s trained nearly 40,000 teachers in 25 states and elevates academic and professional expertise into a high-impact career as a certified teacher in the Twin Cities.

Research & Proof Points

‘America Needs More Teachers of Color and a More Selective Teaching Profession,’ Center for American Progress
‘The importance of a diverse teaching force,’ Brookings
‘Profiles of teachers in the U.S.,’ National Center for Education Information
‘Teacher and Principal Diversity and the Representation of Students of Color in Gifted Programs: Evidence from National Data,’ University of Chicago

“The teaching pool is not a reflection of the demographics of the children that are in urban schools. So to me, it is really important for students of color to see themselves at school. And for white kids to see that there are people of color that are smart and are capable and are in places of power helps them sort of diminish some white supremacy, implicit or explicit biases they may get from home or television.”

Khulia Pringle Uplift MN

Get Involved

Do you believe in the power of diverse, high-quality teachers and their impact on student success in Minneapolis?

Join us!