Research & Resources
Black educators remain critically underrepresented in California, with just 10,400 Black teachers employed in the state during the 2024-2025 school year (3.5% of total California teacher population).
Research shows the benefits of Black teachers for learners of all racial and ethnic backgrounds—and particularly for Black students—, including improved academic outcomes, higher college aspirations, and more inclusive and affirming school environments.
D. Blazer 2024
A. Swisher 2023
“Black students who have even one Black teacher by third grade are 7% more likely to graduate high school and 13% more likely to enroll in college. With two Black teachers, that college enrollment jump rises to 32%.
The impact goes beyond graduation rates—being assigned a teacher of color also boosts math and reading scores and reduces chronic absenteeism by 4 percentage points, a 60% decrease relative to students with a white teacher. A separate study found a similar pattern held across all students regardless of race, with a 20% reduction in absences.
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A. Kamenetz 2017
T. Bristol & D. Carver-Thomas 2024