New information released by the Education Department shows that in nearly every state, the neediest schools aren’t getting the most experienced and qualified educators. That generally means Black and Hispanic students are being taught by the least qualified teachers — a phenomenon that results in them falling further behind academically. The Obama administration is giving states until June to develop plans for reversing the trends that cause inequitable distribution of teachers. (A highly qualified teacher is defined generally in the profiles as one who is “fully certified or licensed by the state … holds at least a bachelor’s degree from a four-year institution, and … demonstrates competence in each core academic subject area in which the teacher teaches.”)
The Gap in Percentages of Highly Qualified Teachers in High Minority and Low Minority Schools (the higher the number, the more that state sends its best teachers to predominantly white schools)
Louisiana, 15.1
Maryland, 9.6
