Teachers Who Look Like Me

By Tamara Williams | Special to The OBSERVER (OPINION) – Black students have been left behind in school. Black students in public schools have trailed their white peers for the last 10 years based on data from California’s Local Control Funding Formula. And the COVID-19 pandemic widened the achievement gap. During the pandemic, math scores declined by 13 points among Black students compared to 6 points for white students. ELA scores among Black students decreased by 7 points compared to 4 points for white learners. It’s time to close the achievement gap for Black students, and that begins with hiring more teachers of color. Black teachers currently account for only 9% of all public school teachers, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Yet, studies show that having teachers of the same race improves students’ social, emotional and academic outcomes. In response to this critical issue, the Fortune School of Education has spearheaded a groundbreaking initiative aimed at tackling the lack of diversity within the teaching profession. The program offers aspiring educators the chance to obtain a California teaching or administrative credential while training at a K-12 school within the Fortune School Consortium. Through proactive recruitment and comprehensive training,...