This policy brief, published by EdTrust–West, makes recommendations to state leaders on ways to recruit and retain a diverse educator workforce. As school districts face teacher shortages nationwide, the report emphasizes the need to address this overarching issue, as well as the challenge of recruiting and retaining teachers of color. The brief finds that increasing educator diversity benefits all students, with higher rates of teachers of color contributing to lower rates of chronic absenteeism and higher rates of student achievement. The recommendations include commitments to improving teacher compensation and employee benefits; facilitating strong partnerships between educator preparation programs (EPP) and school districts; investing in traditional and alternative EPPs; ensuring the collection of race, ethnicity, and language data; and cultivating inclusive education communities.