Research Report

Disparate Pathways: Understanding Disparities in Teaching

David Blazar, Max Anthenelli, Wenjing Gao, Ramon Goings, and Seth Gershenson
April 2024 | Brown University Annenberg Institute

This working paper from the Annenberg Institute at Brown University analyzes existing barriers and potential policy solutions for diverse teacher candidates. The paper follows four cohorts of Maryland public school students for at least 12 years, resulting in four key findings: (1) barriers emerge early and accumulate over time, so policy solutions to support students of color in meeting prerequisites must begin early; (2) expanding alternative pathways into teaching may address some barriers to entry for individuals of color; (3) policies that address disparities and barriers must be targeted to or differentially benefit students of color; (4) multiple interventions that address multiple educational attainment milestones along the teacher preparation pathway are necessary, and effects at each stage must be large to create a teacher workforce as diverse as its corresponding student body. This resource is aimed at policymakers and teacher preparation program administrators interested in creating a more diverse teacher workforce.

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