Elevating Teachers’ Voices on Staff Diversity: A Case Study in Teacher-Informed Recruitment Policy

Abstract

This case study engages educational leaders in exploring how district-specific stakeholder perspectives might impact recruitment policy implementation and resource allocation through the lens of the Community Cultural Wealth framework. The case introduces Dr. Sheila Hill, the superintendent of a large district with a significant population of students of color without a commensurate diverse faculty. Like many others, her district faced teacher recruitment challenges. Dr. Hill hosted focus groups to hear from teachers about the district’s staffing needs. Emphasizing the role of the Community Cultural Wealth framework in recruiting teachers of color, Dr. Hill navigated the complexities of policy implementation amid potentially competing priorities. She foregrounded the internal knowledge her staff provided as she decided how to distribute funds from a private grant.