Boston, Massachusetts – Today, the Massachusetts Educator Diversity Act Coalition, spearheaded by Latinos for Education, joined Senator Hinds and Gómez in supporting amendments filed to the FY 2022 Budget introduced by the Massachusetts Senate on May 14th. Collectively, these amendments are aimed at ensuring the state is investing in and moving forward towards the goal set forth by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (DESE) to hire an additional 16,000 educators of color by 2030.
“In the past year we have witnessed a pandemic that has devastated Black, Latino, and immigrant communities and a national reckoning that is forcing us to look at how the history of racism permeates throughout all our systems, including our education system,” said Amanda Fernandez, Co-Founder and CEO of Latinos for Education and member of the Massachusetts Educator Diversity Act Coalition. “This reckoning in education must include conversations and actions on educator diversity because we won’t fully close equity gaps for all students if we don’t invest in diverse educators.”
The amendments and budget priorities set forth by the Massachusetts Educator Diversity Act Coalition include:
- Amendment 237, which would increase funding for early college line item 7009-6600 by 1.5 million dollars and dedicate the funding to the creation of a new early college education pathway.
- Amendment 249, which would create a new line item 7061-9815 and invest 2.5 million into new or existing “educator residency” and preparation programs with a primary focus on serving prospective educators of color.
- Amendment 248, which would address the provisions of the Educator Diversity Act, including alternative pathways to certification, as well as increased data transparency and hiring bias training.
“I am happy to partner with Senator Hinds and Latinos for Education in support of the Massachusetts Educator Diversity Act Coalitions’ Priority Budgetary Amendments,” said Senator Adam Gomez (D-Springfield). “It is so important to ensure we are creating pathways for BIPOC educators, whether it be through hiring bias training or increased data transparency, to both incentivize and support people from all backgrounds who enter into the education field. Our children deserve to have teachers and faculty who they can relate to.”
In addition to calling for the educator diversity amendments, the Educator Diversity Act Coalition is supporting the following early college amendments:
- Dual Enrollment Grant and Subsidies (7066-0019): grow current funding from $3M to $7.4M to fund critical credit reimbursements for the State’s higher education institutions.
- Early College Programs (7009-6600): maintain current funding at $2.5M for planning and implementation grants and administrative costs.
“Our Mirrors and Windows for Latinx Students report should have been a wakeup call for elected and education leaders across the Commonwealth on the disparities and lack of representation in our educator workforce. While students of color now make up 40 percent of all students in our public schools, educators of color only make up 8 percent of all teachers,” said Lorena Lopera, Executive Director of Latinos for Education, Massachusetts. “We remain committed to tackling this disparity and moving the state closer towards the educator diversity goal set forth by DESE.”
Over 15 education leaders and organizations have signed onto a letter spearheaded by Latinos for Education calling on the Massachusetts Senate to approve these budget amendments.
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About Latinos for Education:
Latinos for Education is a national education non-profit organization focused on developing, placing, and connecting essential Latino talent in the education sector. The organization is mobilizing a network of skilled education leaders to ensure the voice of students and families is not only heard but factored into decision-making in schools, communities, and education institutions throughout the U.S. The organization also ensures Latino education professionals have access to a nationwide network of peers as well as career and professional development opportunities across the country through the members-only EdCentro network. For more information visit: https://www.latinosforeducation.org.
About the Massachusetts Educator Diversity Act Coalition:
The Massachusetts Educator Diversity Act Coalition is a diverse group representing school district leaders such as Lynn Superintendent Dr. Patrick Tutwiler and Salem Superintendent Dr. Stephen Zrike, higher education institutions like UMass Amherst and Northern Essex Community College, and teacher training institutions like Teach Western MA, and education advocacy groups such as EdTrust. It is being spearheaded by Latinos for Education. The 35 member coalition represents every voice along the teacher preparation and retention continuum.
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