A new study by the Tennessee Education Research Alliance suggests schools in the state should do more to hire and support teachers of color.
A new study by the Tennessee Education Research Alliance suggests schools in the state should do more to hire and support teachers of color.
The study looked at turnover and retention for Tennessee teachers over a five-year period beginning in 2011. It found that black teachers were no more likely to leave the profession than white teachers, but they were more likely to transfer schools. Turnover was especially high when black teachers were racially isolated, the study found.
“There’s lots of evidence that teacher turnover is bad for schools … and bad for student achievement,” said Jason Grissom, the alliance’s faculty director.
Moreover, previous research has shown that students of color are more likely to have academic success when they are exposed to teachers of different races, the study states. They are also more likely to be identified for gifted services and less likely to be chronically absent.
