Why focus on Financial Incentives to improve Teacher Diversity?
As the cost of college and the overall cost of living continues to rise, financial incentives like scholarships, loan forgiveness, and strategic pay for working in hard-to-staff schools can help attract a wider range of candidates to the teaching profession, particularly those from underrepresented groups. Since people of color often take on greater levels of student debt,1 financial incentives can make teaching a more viable career path.
State performance on Financial Incentives for Teacher Diversity
Few states use financial incentives to explicitly attract teachers of color, with less than half investing in financial incentives like scholarships or loan forgiveness to increase the number of teacher candidates of color in traditional preparation programs. While roughly half of all states use financial incentives as a recruiting mechanism for teachers in general, few states use financial incentives to attract teachers of color explicitly.
NCTQ evaluates whether states are effectively using this policy lever by examining whether they support targeted scholarships for teacher candidates, fund loan forgiveness programs, and incentivize districts to offer additional compensation to teachers working in hard-to-staff schools. It is important to note that our current analysis does not focus on financial incentives for candidates of color specifically. Explore the key actions below to learn more about how each state is implementing policies to diversify its workforce. (NCTQ does not currently assign rankings to states for this policy area.)
Who stands out?
What are the key actions states should take?
Key Resources
State of the States 2023: Teacher Diversity
Explore NCTQ’s comprehensive scan of state teacher diversity policies.
Teacher Diversity Dashboard
Explore trends and efforts to diversify the teacher workforce both nationwide and in your community.
References
- Carver-Thomas, D. (2018b). Diversifying the teaching profession through high-retention pathways. Learning Policy Institute.
- Carver-Thomas, D. (2018b). Diversifying the teaching profession through high-retention pathways. Learning Policy Institute.
- Fiddiman, B., Campbell, C., & Partelow, L. (2019). Student debt: An overlooked barrier to increasing teacher diversity. Center for American Progress.
- Rothstein, J., & Rouse, C. E. (2011). Constrained after college: Student loans and early-career occupational choices. Journal of Public Economics, 95(1-2), 149-163.
- Baum, S., & O’Malley, M. (2003). College on credit: How borrowers perceive their education debt. Journal of Student Financial Aid, 33(3): 7-19.
- Achinstein, B., Ogawa, R. T., Sexton, D., & Freitas, C. (2010). Retaining teachers of color: A pressing problem and a potential strategy for “hard-to-staff” schools. Review of Educational Research, 80(1), 71–107. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654309355994