2017-18 budget process. Areas of work that
need increased staff capacity include improving
partnerships between districts and EPPs
beyond the Network for Educator Preparation
Partnerships pilot. Other aspects of educator
preparation that call for greater investments in
staff include improving the diversity of the teaching
population and supporting implementation of
edTPA. The department can also invest in staff
who can support EPPs with improved access
to data as well as the strategic use of data to
support continuous improvement.
Improve the racial and ethnic
diversity of the teaching
population
Recruiting and retaining a racially and ethnically
diverse teaching population must be a state
priority pursued with a sense of urgency. In an
increasingly diverse society, teachers of color who
receive high-quality preparation are successfully
positioned to serve as role models for
all students. The responsibility to
improve diversity lies not only
with EPPs, but also the TDOE,
school districts, and other
education stakeholders.
EPPs will need support
in building systems
that not only recruit
teacher candidates
of color but also
create environments
that
value
the
identities and cultures
of these candidates.
For example, EPPs should
consider how to support
teachers of color by creating
differentiated professional development to address
the unique socio-emotional needs these teachers
face. School districts also play an important role in
the recruitment and retention of teachers of color.
Schools as well as community organizations can
partner with EPPs to develop “grow your own”
programs. Examples of “grow your own” models
that have successfully helped recruit teachers of
color include the Pathways2Teaching program
in Colorado and Teach Tomorrow in Oakland.50
Districts also should explore developing
relationships with a broader set of EPPs, including
historically black colleges and universities in the
state. In addition, districts also need to do more
to provide supports to teachers of color once
they are in the classroom through strategies such
as affinity groups and induction programs with
special sessions or program tracks for teachers of
color. Education advocacy organizations must also
do more to highlight promising practices across the
state and promote teaching as a rewarding career
for students.
• The TDOE should create an ambitious,
statewide goal by the end of 2016 for
recruiting racially and ethnically diverse
teaching candidates into the teaching
population. EPPs should also collaborate
with the TDOE to develop recruitment
goals for teacher candidates of color.
The SBE should annually publish progress
made toward these goals, reported by
school district, on the redesigned Teacher
Preparation Report Card. The SBE also
should create a running three-year report of
progress made towards recruitment goals
to account for fluctuations in enrollment.
• SCORE and other education partners should
convene a council of teachers of color
statewide who can help identify barriers
to entry as well as challenges regarding
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