Common Causes of Inequity

  • Non-strategic assignment practices: Because of a lack of incentives, recognition, and opportunities for growth, the strongest teachers may not find roles in the highest need schools to be attractive or sustainable.
  • Poor working conditions: Challenging workloads or school climates can reduce teachers’ morale and retention and interfere with the quality of teaching practices.
  • Flawed hiring practices: When teacher pipelines and hiring practices are flawed and/or biased, districts can struggle to recruit a sufficiently high-potential and diverse applicant pool.

Key Questions to Explore

  • How does the assignment of novice teachers, ineffective teachers, or long-term substitutes to students differ across student groups and/or across schools in our district?
  • Does each student in our district have access to teaching practices that are engaging, culturally relevant, and standards-aligned?
  • Do retention rates differ for teachers of color and linguistically diverse teachers, compared to other teachers?

What Does the Data Say About Teaching Quality & Diversity?

Our interactive data resource will help deepen your understanding of how dimensions of resource equity like Teaching Quality & Diversity play out in schools and districts across the country. As you navigate these interactive stories, you’ll learn how system shifts can lead to more equitable and better student experiences and outcomes.

Teaching Quality & Diversity Resources

Guidebook

Explore the possible root cause of your district’s challenges and choose promising actions based on the distinct needs of your students.

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DIY Analysis Toolkit

This blueprint and DIY analysis tool are designed to help you conduct resource equity analyses and make meaning of their results.

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Advocating Across Government Guide

This resource outlines the roles of the federal, state, district, and school governments in advocating for resource equity.

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Casemaking Deck

This resource makes the case for improving resource equity and provides guidance on messaging its importance, urgency, and connection to your community.

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Related Dimensions

No single dimension of education resource equity can unlock every student’s potential—but when dimensions are combined to meet students’ distinct needs, they are a strong foundation for unlocking better, more equitable experiences in school.

Explore the School Leadership Quality & Diversity dimension, as school leaders make many of the decisions that shape teacher performance, hiring and retention.