Research Report

Diversifying the Teacher Pipeline: A Toolkit for Recruiting More High School Students of Color Into Pennsylvania Teacher Prep Programs and Schools

Laura Boyce, Katherine Norris, Gerry Fitzpatrick-Doria, Miriam Marguerita Gomez Witmer, Shayna Terrell, Gabriel Kuriloff, Juliet Curci, and Frederick Goode
October 2024 | Pennsylvania Educator Diversity Consortium

This toolkit from the Pennsylvania Educator Diversity Consortium (PEDC) highlights efforts PEDC partners have made in Philadelphia to recruit high school students of color into local teacher preparation programs and ultimately back into Philadelphia classrooms. The toolkit identifies five strategies for recruiting more high school students of color into the teacher pipeline: (1) cultivating early interest in teaching through communicating and connecting with students early in middle and high school about the value of a teaching career; (2) mentorship and cohorting by leveraging the power of relationships with expert teachers to create supports and a sense of belonging for aspiring teachers; (3) dual enrollment opportunities to allow students to save money and time by earning college credit while in high school; (4) apprenticeship and field experiences, which give students opportunities to learn and practice in an authentic environment with feedback and support; (5) scholarship and college admission support to help students overcome financial and other barriers to entering and persisting in teacher preparation programs. Described alongside case studies and best practices, this toolkit is well suited for school and district leaders, teacher preparation programs, and others interested in addressing challenges in the teacher pipeline with similar initiatives.