Teacher Preparation's Diversity Problem

Closing the teacher diversity gap is one of the most important steps we can take to make public education more equitable. But as many school systems across the country have prioritized the issue, one institution has largely escaped scrutiny: teacher preparation programs.

This report uses data from the U.S. Department of Education to compare the demographics of each state's teacher preparation program enrollees to that of public school students to calculate a "teacher prep diversity gap." The report also highlighst individual teacher preparation programs that are--and are not--recruiting enough teachers of color to match student demographics in their states. Findings include:

• Teacher preparation programs are significantly whiter, on average, than the public school population. 
• Teacher prep diversity gaps exist in almost every state. 
• A significant percentage of programs—serving a significant number of future teachers—are more than 90 percent white.
• Alternative certification programs are significantly more diverse than traditional programs.