Giving Compass' Take:

· As student populations continue to become more diverse in the Chicago area, schools have found that retaining African American teachers is the best way to serve this student body.

· In what ways can schools support a more diverse teaching staff? Why is this important in blended areas? 

· Read more about teacher diversity and retention.

Retention of black teachers is key as the teacher workforce is becoming increasingly white and serves a diverse student population.

Diversifying Chicago's teacher workforce could begin with strengthening efforts to retain the African American teachers it already has. One way it's doing that is by launching teacher-support initiatives such as a residency program that provides mentors and pays for graduate education.

As the district continues its efforts to diversify its teaching staff, it is also considering ways to recruit​ more African American educators. Building a more diversified workforce means offering higher compensation, alternative pathways to teaching, and developing partnerships with historically black universities. It also means honoring these educators' talents and giving them the opportunity to do more than teach medial classes and serve as language translators.

Districts around the country face the same struggle attracting and retaining black teachers.

Read the full article about diversifying teaching staff in Chicago by Shawna De La Rosa at Education Dive.