Teacher Diversification Grant

The Teacher Diversification Grant was launched in April 2019, with state funds to support local schools and district efforts to develop and implement thoughtful, high-impact strategies to influence the recruitment and retention of diverse Massachusetts educators.

Since former Commissioner Riley launched "Our Way Forward", the Department has engaged in several strategic efforts to create and sustain an educator workforce that is diverse, culturally responsive, anti-racist, well-prepared, and committed to continuous improvement so that all students have equitable access to effective educators. Most recently, DESE released a new educational vision , which centers the educator workforce diversification through Strategic Objective 3, which contains three sub-objectives:

1. Develop an increased and robust pipeline of diverse and well-prepared educators and leaders.
2. Create the conditions to sustain and retain diverse staff, particularly those who entered the field through alternative pathways.
3. Implement opportunities for all staff to engage in a cycle of continuous improvement, utilizing effective teaming structures.

A growing body of educational research demonstrates the positive influences of teachers of color on short- and long-term academic outcomes of students of color - with research finding that having a single teacher of color can boost academic achievement, high school graduation rates, and college enrollment for students of color (Dee, 2004; Gershenson, 2018).

To increase effective teacher recruitment and retention, participating schools and districts will be required to review school and district policies and procedures. The schools and districts will also be required to identify the cultural proficiency training needs for district and building leadership, including hiring managers, teachers, and principals. Talent diversification strategies will be developed by districts and schools through their required participation in the Teacher Diversification Professional Learning Community. This hybrid professional development series will have an in-person launch on October 21, 2024, complete this interest form to learn more.

Historically this grant has prioritized funding diverse educator recruitment and retention strategies in the following areas:

• High school pathways
• Loan repayment
• Signing / Retention Bonuses
• Relocation allowance

Teacher Diversification Grant Posting

The most recent version of the grant can be viewed here: FY2024 and FY2025 Fund Code 255: Teacher Diversification Pilot Program Part 2.

Contact

For more information about this grant please email Eric Washington and Sylvia Lam .

Last Updated: July 15, 2024