Teachers play a vital role in establishing the culture of a school. These questions are designed to help you understand a school’s ability to recruit and retain a diverse teaching staff, which will help you better understand the health of a school’s environment.
Research suggests that having a diverse teaching staff may positively influence all students. Having more teachers of color within a school building can improve standardized test scores, improve attendance rates, and reduce the amount of disciplinary action students of color receive. Use these questions to determine if the school you are considering has a representative teaching staff.
Questions Regarding Race / Ethnicity:
*Please choose the questions that are the most relevant for you and your child.
How many teachers are Black?
- What grade(s) and subject(s) do they teach?
- How many Black teachers returned from last school year?
How many teachers are Latinx?
- What grade(s) and subject(s) do they teach?
- How many Latinx teachers returned from last school year?
How many teachers are Asian?
- What grade(s) and subject(s) do they teach?
- How many Asian teachers returned from last school year?
How many school leadership positions are at the school?
- How many members of the leadership team are Black?
- How many members of the leadership team are Latinx?
- How many members of the leadership team are Asian?
How many teachers speak a second language?
- How many front office staff members speak a second language?
- How many members of the leadership/administrative team speak a second language?
- What language(s) do they speak?
What are the demographics of the teachers or coaches running non-academic programs or activities?
Things to Consider:
- If an administrator is hesitant to answer these questions, explain to the administrator the importance of having a representative staff (refer to Research or DC information of Race / Ethnicity).
- DCPS is required to give the public information regarding its teachers due to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
- DC public charter schools are not required to follow these FOIA laws. (You may request information from the DC Public Charter School Board directly, but the information is not guaranteed to be released).
- An administrator who is able to provide concrete information about the demographics of their teachers may be an indicator of a diverse/representative teaching staff.