Increasing racial, ethnic, linguistic, socio - economic, and gender diversity in the teacher workforce can have a positive effect for all students, but the impact is even more pronounced when students have a teacher who shares characteristics of their identity.20 For example, teachers of color are often better able to engage students of color, 21 and students of color score higher
on standardized tests when taught by teachers of color.22 By holding students of color to a set of high
expectations, 23 providing culturally relevant teaching, confronting racism through teaching, and developing trusting relationships with their students, teachers of color can increase other educational outcomes for students of color, such as high school
completion and
college attendance.24