99 Problems, How to Solve 1: Fixing the Black Teacher Shortage

Research over the past two years indicates that Black teachers are more likely to leave the profession than their white peers. But there is something that can be done about it

Photo credit: Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Getty Images

The last two weeks of education reporting have seen a renewal of a familiar lament: Black teachers are leaving the profession in numbers greater than their white peers and other teachers of color. According to a new report by the RAND Corporation, Black teachers were more likely than white teachers to report a plan to leave the profession after the 2020-2021 school year. While pandemic-related stressors like lack of adequate child care, illness, and seismic shifts in curriculum and school structures are key contributors to the issue, this recently planned exodus is a dangerous escalation in the lack of racial parity between students of color -  who now make up over 50% of the student population -  and Black teachers who comprise a paltry 7% of public school educators.

The real-life implications of this are extremely frustrating. What is also frustrating about these numbers is that we know WHY Black teachers are underrepresented, but like so many race-related issues in this country, lack the collective will to implement solutions.