National Council on Teacher Quality Study Reveal Least Experienced and Ineffective Teachers Disproportionately Placed in Black Neighborhoods
Study finds inequality in teacher performance, with disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable students
The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) released a report examining the distribution of teachers in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. The in-depth study, Unequal Access, Unequal Results: Equitable Teacher Distribution in Miami-Dade County Public Schools, was commissioned by the Urban League of Greater Miami and publicly released in a public community meeting on Wednesday, August 20th at 6PM – 8PM at Freedom Hall of the Urban League.
The report provides substantiating evidence that there is widespread inequality in Miami-Dade when it comes to the performance of the teacher workforce, and this inequality disproportionately impacts the county’s most vulnerable students living in voting Districts 1 and 2, which have high concentrations of African-American and low-income students. Students in district 1 and 2 are far more likely to have the least experienced and least effective teachers and significantly more teacher turnover, thus creating unstable learning environments.
“The consequences of unequal distribution of effective teachers in Miami-Dade are harsh and shameful,” said T. Willard Fair, President of the Urban League of Greater Miami. “The disparity in Miami-Dade is emblematic of a nationwide failure to provide all students with experienced and effective teachers. We cannot allow our schools to deny educational opportunities to our most vulnerable students.”
- The report provides detailed recommendations about methods to improve students’ access to effective teachers:
- Create incentives to encourage high-performing teachers to take and stay in positions in high-needs schools.
- Provide more support to new teachers to improve teacher effectiveness.
- Recruit and hire teachers from training programs that prepare them for the classroom.
Links to the Miami Teacher Quality Study:
