Education policy experts met in Sacramento this week for the #CABuildingBridges Summit to discuss how to recruit and retain teachers of color in California. At the all-day gathering of about 100 educators, leaders called on state policy makers not just to pass legislation, but to create structures that reinforce new policies.
At the summit, educators spoke about the lack of diversity in teacher preparation programs and at schools. According to a 2022 survey of more than 4,600 teachers by the UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools, educators reported experiencing high levels of work-related stress, with 40% saying they’ve considered leaving the profession and 20% saying they will probably leave within three years.
According to a 2022 survey by the National Education Assn., Black and Latino educators were likely to quit the profession earlier than expected due to lack of career support and poor working conditions.