Truly open to all: Three ways to diversify teacher leadership

Abstract

Teacher leadership recently has gained prominence as an important method for school improvement and reform, yet the ranks of teacher leaders do not match the racial and ethnic diversity of the students they serve. Jori S. Beck, KaaVonia Hinton, and Brandon M. Butler conducted a study of teacher leadership that garnered almost 800 survey responses and included 31 interviews with administrators and teachers. They discovered how the lack of diversity in the teacher workforce, the myth of meritocracy, and the isolation of teachers of color present barriers to diversifying the teacher leader workforce. Potential solutions include equity audits, revisions to hiring practices, and the distribution of teachers of color within school buildings.