Visualizing Washington's Teacher Workforce
Understanding the trends impacting teacher recruitment and retention
Racial/Ethnic Diversity
Understanding how well the teaching workforce reflects the diversity of the student populatione
Key Findings
- Although the number and percentage of students of color are growing, the teacher workforce remains largely white. This means few students of color have teachers who share their race or ethnicity.
- Although about 1 in 4 Washington students identified as Hispanic in 2016/17, only 1 in 20 teachers identified as Hispanic. Most teachers (93 percent) identified as white.
On average, there were 125 Hispanic students per certificated Hispanic teacher in 2016/17.
LEGEND: Hispanic students per Hispanic teachers
<15 | 15–100 | >100 | No Hispanic teachers reported
Source: Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Report Card and S-275 Personnel Reporting, 2011/12–2016/17.
Over the past decade, Washington has seen substantial growth in the number of students from historically underrepresented groups. In particular, the number of Hispanic students grew by about 100,000 between 2007/08 (151,444 students; 15 percent of the population) and 2016/17 (251,334 students; 23 percent of the population). Over the same period, the representation of most other student groups in Washington remained stable or decreased. (See the Washington State Report Card for details.)
In 2016/17, on average, there were 15 students for every teacher in Washington school districts. On average, there were 9.5 white students for every white teacher. In contrast, there were 125 Hispanic students for every Hispanic teacher. This is important; diversifying the teaching workforce can help close achievement gaps, and teachers of color can be role models and help improve perceptions about school for students of color. Two examples: Teachers, race and student achievement and Representation in the classroom.
On average, there were 9.5 white students for every white teacher in 2016/17.
LEGEND: White students per white teacher
<15 | 15–25 | >25
Source: Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Report Card and S-275 Personnel Reporting, 2011/12–2016/17.
Notably, the number of white students in Washington dropped from 682,602 (66 percent) in 2008 to 607,910 (53 percent) in 2016/17. In addition, the number of white students for each white teacher was much closer to the state student-teacher average of 15 in 2016/17. Only a handful of school districts had an average white student-teacher ratio greater than 15.
Questions to Consider
Are local and state efforts to increase the diversity of Washington’s teacher workforce effective and sustainable?
How might improving earlier education outcomes for students of color contribute to efforts to diversify the teaching workforce?
Data on the languages teachers speak are not collected at the state level. How might the linguistic diversity of Washington’s teachers reflect that of its students?
Key Findings
- Although the number and percentage of students of color are growing, the teacher workforce remains largely white. This means few students of color have teachers who share their race or ethnicity.
- Although about 1 in 4 Washington students identified as Hispanic in 2016/17, only 1 in 20 teachers identified as Hispanic. Most teachers (93 percent) identified as white.
On average, there were 125 Hispanic students per certificated Hispanic teacher in 2016/17.
LEGEND: Hispanic students per Hispanic teachers
<15 | 15–100 | >100 | No Hispanic teachers reported
Source: Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Report Card and S-275 Personnel Reporting, 2011/12–2016/17.
Over the past decade, Washington has seen substantial growth in the number of students from historically underrepresented groups. In particular, the number of Hispanic students grew by about 100,000 between 2007/08 (151,444 students; 15 percent of the population) and 2016/17 (251,334 students; 23 percent of the population). Over the same period, the representation of most other student groups in Washington remained stable or decreased. (See the Washington State Report Card for details.)
In 2016/17, on average, there were 15 students for every teacher in Washington school districts. On average, there were 9.5 white students for every white teacher. In contrast, there were 125 Hispanic students for every Hispanic teacher. This is important; diversifying the teaching workforce can help close achievement gaps, and teachers of color can be role models and help improve perceptions about school for students of color. Two examples: Teachers, race and student achievement and Representation in the classroom.
On average, there were 9.5 white students for every white teacher in 2016/17.
LEGEND: White students per white teacher
<15 | 15–25 | >25
Source: Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Report Card and S-275 Personnel Reporting, 2011/12–2016/17.
Notably, the number of white students in Washington dropped from 682,602 (66 percent) in 2008 to 607,910 (53 percent) in 2016/17. In addition, the number of white students for each white teacher was much closer to the state student-teacher average of 15 in 2016/17. Only a handful of school districts had an average white student-teacher ratio greater than 15.
Questions to Consider
Are local and state efforts to increase the diversity of Washington’s teacher workforce effective and sustainable?
How might improving earlier education outcomes for students of color contribute to efforts to diversify the teaching workforce?
Data on the languages teachers speak are not collected at the state level. How might the linguistic diversity of Washington’s teachers reflect that of its students?