Boston, Massachusetts – The Massachusetts Educator Diversity Act (H.549/S.311) – groundbreaking legislation that seeks to strengthen the Massachusetts educator workforce and address the growing shortage of ethnically and racially diverse educators in the Commonwealth – was favorably voted out of the Joint Education Committee last week. Members of the Educator Diversity Act Coalition – a broad coalition of school district leaders, higher education institutions, teacher preparation programs, and education nonprofits – issued the following statements on the favorable reporting:

“New workforce data forecasts that without substantial state investments in educator diversity, the gap between teachers of color and students of color will significantly widen by 2030,” said Amanda Fernandez, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Latinos for Education. “If we want to set up all students for success, especially Latino students, we need to make sure they are able to see teachers who share their background and culture, and inspire them to thrive academically. The Massachusetts Educator Diversity Act will help close the growing representation gap school districts across the state are experiencing.”

Phyllis Hardy, Executive Director of the Multistate Association for Bilingual Education – Northeast, emphasized the importance of the EDA, stating, “The research is clear – representation matters! To create an educational system that promotes equity and success, students of color – which will soon be over 50% of all Massachusetts Public School students – must see themselves reflected in their mentors. It is imperative that we take bold steps to encourage and support diverse and bilingual educators to enter and remain in education. A win for multilingual learners, growing the bilingual educator workforce will support implementation of the most successful bilingual education model: Dual Language Education. Now, to pass the Educator Diversity Act!”

“The Educator Diversity Act proposes real solutions that move the Commonwealth closer to a future in which every child is able to benefit from the experience of learning with and from diverse educators. We applaud the Education Committee’s decision to favorably report the bill, advancing it one step closer to passage,” stated Tim Nicolette, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Charter Public School Association.

Pema Latshang, Executive Director of Teach Western Mass, echoed this sentiment, saying, “We are overjoyed that the EDA was reported out favorably. This is an important step in passing this impactful bill for our students and communities in Western Mass and across the Commonwealth. Next up we need to pass the Educator Diversity Act so that we meet the teacher workforce demands of the moment and well into the future. Now is the time to act!”

“We are thrilled to see the Educator Diversity Act reported out of committee and thank the Education Committee co-chairs for their leadership in prioritizing this critical issue. We are now one step closer to ensuring more equitable and affirming educational environments for all students,” said Jennie Williamson, state director of EdTrust-Massachusetts. 

To learn more about the Educator Diversity Act and the Educator Diversity Act Coalition, visit: www.latinosforeducation.org/educator-diversity-act/ 

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