State Teacher Policy Database Homepage › Minnesota › Policy Priority: Teacher Diversity

Supports for Teachers of Color

Learn more about how Minnesota is performing on Supports for Teachers of Color in the Teacher Diversity policy area.
Go to a policy lever Data Systems Financial Incentives Supports for Teachers of Color Teacher Pipeline Programs
Select a state Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Minnesota's Performance

Ungraded
NCTQ evaluates whether states are effectively using this policy lever by examining whether they support certain programs for teachers of color such as affinity groups or trainings and whether they publish disaggregated retention data. Explore the key actions below to learn more about how Minnesota is implementing policies to Support Teachers of Color.

Why does this matter?

While bringing more teachers of color into the classroom in the first place is critical, those efforts count for little in the long run if schools cannot retain these teachers. National annual turnover of teachers of color, has been somewhat higher (19%) than that of white teachers (15%).1

Why does Minnesota stand out?

Minnesota’s strategy to increase the racial, ethnic, and linguistic diversity of the teacher workforce includes retention initiatives, mentorship, and/or affinity spaces.

The state’s “Due North Education Plan” priorities include the development of a statewide mentor program to support the retention of teachers, and specifically retain and support teachers of color and Indigenous teachers. The program was funded at nearly $3 million beginning in FY 2024.

What are the key actions Minnesota should take?

    • See what these exemplars are doing in this policy area:

    Delaware
    Arkansas

    Key Resources

    State of the States 2023: Teacher Diversity

    Explore NCTQ’s comprehensive scan of state teacher diversity policies.

    Explore resource

    Increasing teacher diversity: Four ways districts can take action

    Learn more about how districts can create the conditions for a more diverse workforce.

    Explore resource

    Teacher Prep Review: Program Diversity and Admissions

    Dive into NCTQ’s 2021 analysis of the diversity of educator preparation programs.

    Explore resource

    Do states have the data they need to answer important questions about their teacher workforce?

    Read more about the data states are collecting, what data is missing, and recommendations for strengthening data systems.

    Explore resource
    References
    1. Carver-Thomas, D. (2018b). Diversifying the teaching profession through high-retention pathways. Learning Policy Institute.
    2. Teacher and Administrator Recruitment and Retention Plan. (n.d.). Division of Elementary and Secondary Education; State of Arkansas. https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Offices/legal/equity-assistance-center/teacher-and-administrator-recruitment-and-retention-plan; Conversation with Arkansas Department of Education, May 2023.