PSEA is a community of education professionals who make a difference in the lives of students every day.
Today, less than 5 percent of Pennsylvania’s educators are people of color, even though nearly 30 percent of students are. In fact, our state’s percentage of educators who are people of color is one of the lowest in the nation.
Many school districts would like to hire more educators who are ethnic minorities, but struggle to find candidates who reflect the diversity of their communities.
Research shows that teachers of color help close achievement gaps for students of color and are highly rated by students of all races.
Teachers of color boost the academic performance of students of color, including improved reading and math test scores, improved graduation rates, and increases in the number of students who plan to attend college.*
The reason this is a top priority for PSEA is simple. People in our communities respect what educators do. That’s something PSEA members can be proud of.
But, with the educator shortage worsening, public education faces a growing crisis. PSEA is working to meet these challenges. That’s what PSEA’s RESPECT initiative is all about.
If you have a story that helps illustrate why attracting more educators who are people of color is critical to PA’s public education, click below to share it — and PSEA will help you tell it.
