from MassINC teacher diversity report, February 2024

AS THE FORMER CHAIR of the educator diversity committee on the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, I remember distinctly when the ambitious target to have educators of color makeup at least 25 percent of Massachusetts’ educator workforce by 2030 was set. At that time, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education made a commitment to diversify our education workforce to match the pace of our growing diverse communities. 

It’s been a little more than four years since we set these targets. Yet, research simulations released this month by Latinos for Education, MassINC, and Boston University Wheelock Educational Policy Center Education show that, even with the most aggressive efforts, we will fail to meet our goal.

Through several simulations, the report, “In Pursuit of Greatness: Bold Strategies to Grow a Strong and Diverse Educator Workforce,” shows us that, despite growth in the number of teachers of color who were hired in Massachusetts, the workforce became less representative of the state’s increasingly diverse student population. Right now, students of color make up 45 percent of all students in Massachusetts, but only 10 percent of teachers are educators of color.

Despite our best efforts, the gap between the percentage of educators of color and students of color is expected to continue to widen in the coming years. 

This forecast is making us confront the reality that without bold action to diversifying our educator workforce, we — quite frankly — will never get the educator workforce we need in the Commonwealth. And our students and families will bear the brunt of the consequences.  

Our next step is clear: Massachusetts must pass the Educator Diversity Act.

The Educator Diversity Act will address some of the most pertinent barriers that keep educators of color from entering or staying in the teaching profession, including certification, training, and working conditions. Districts will have expectations to accelerate their efforts to have an educator workforce that reflects the diversity of our communities. 

The challenge, however, isn’t just about hiring diverse educators; it’s also about retention. Far too many Latino educators are overlooked for leadership roles and professional development opportunities, this among other reasons is causing nearly half of Latino teachers to leave the profession within five years. This is a trend we cannot, and should not, accept.

During the last legislative session, 60 legislators across both chambers agreed that we needed to do more to attract and retain a diverse educator workforce. These legislators cosponsored the Educator Diversity Act, and the House unanimously passed a version of this bill. Dozens of education organizations, the state’s two largest teachers’ unions – Massachusetts Teachers Association and the American Federation of Teachers – district and school leaders, charter schools, educators, and students publicly expressed their support for the legislation through letters, legislative visits, and community events. 

And still, we didn’t get the bill across the finish line. 

The newest findings are a clear call to action for our partners in the legislature, the Governors’ Executive Office of Education, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Department of Higher Education. We cannot lose momentum. Massachusetts has a legacy of being a leader in education and other states look to us, and our education system, for inspiration. State leaders have an opportunity to build on this legacy by passing the Educator Diversity Act and creating an educator workforce that not only reflects the diversity of our student population but is supported so they stay and grow within the profession. 

Once enacted, this bill could serve as model legislation across the country for how to advance educator diversity through state policy. This is our moment. As our communities continue to grow in diversity, we cannot slow down. We must recommit to educator diversification efforts. The future of Massachusetts depends on it.

Amanda Fernandez is the CEO and founder of Latinos for Education.