Diversity at Issue as States Weigh Teacher Entry

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Chicago Tribune :

Stephen Sawchuk Education Week, Bethesda, Md.

May 8, 2013

 

Slowly but surely, a growing number of states are eyeing policies to select academically stronger individuals for their teaching programs as one avenue to improve the quality of new teachers.

Underneath the attention such plans are attracting, though, run deep-seated fears about their potential consequences--particularly whether they will result in a K-12 workforce with fewer black and Latino teachers.

On nearly all the measures states are considering, from GPAs to licensure-test scores, minority candidates tend to have weaker scores than their white counterparts.

 

"It's the dirty little secret that's not getting nearly enough discussion in the policy community," said Segun Eubanks, the director of teacher quality for the 3 million-member National Education Association, which generally supports improved teacher training.

The state action comes against the backdrop of a profession whose membership is already far less diverse than the students it serves.

For state officials, the quandary poses a difficult and politically sensitive set of choices.

 

 

(Snip)

 

 

H/T NRO: The Corner

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