Six organizations receive nearly $900,000 from DEEL to increase educator diversity and organizational development.
SEATTLE (August 31) — The Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) announced today that six groups will receive a total of $893K to broaden paths into the education industry and to promote the retention of educators of color. Educator Diversity funding will support up to 5,200 educators through recruitment, program completion and other forms of professional development, and mentoring, based on recommendations from the Equitable Communities Initiative. Funds will also increase the groups’ capacity to grow their reach and influence.
Funding for Educator Diversity supplements a variety of DEEL-funded projects that address the imbalance of culturally diverse educators in Seattle Public Schools. In the 2020-21 school year, according to the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, approximately 790 (21%) SPS classroom teachers and 29,000 (54%) students identified as people of color. According to studies, investments that support a diverse community of educators entering and continuing in the field result in enhanced test scores, enrolment in advanced-level coursework, graduation rates, and college enrollment for students of color.
“By investing in the variety of educators, we are trying to ensure that all Seattle students have instructors who make them feel comfortable and supported in school,” stated Mayor Bruce Harrell. We are pleased to cooperate with community organizations such as One Seattle to help educators of color enter and remain in the workforce, which has a significant influence on student achievement.
“Representation is important.
Dr. Dwane Chappelle, director of DEEL, remarked that it affords our children the opportunity to learn in circumstances that affirm their identity, history, and the path many before them have traveled to achieve success. “Providing educators of color with accessible and supportive professional pathways is essential for fostering learning environments in which kids can thrive.”
“Seattle Public Schools is committed to a workforce that is culturally sensitive. Diversity among our employees, school leadership, and central office is a top priority, according to Dr. Sarah Pritchett, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources for Seattle Public Schools. “Through our robust cooperation with DEEL, we are enhancing tactics that support aspiring educators as they enter the field and preserving inclusive learning environments in our schools.”
Input from the community was important to the design of the investment through a comprehensive engagement strategy that included youth listening sessions and interviews with organizations striving to support educator diversity. Funded programs will support professional growth in at least one of the following five strategic areas:
Outreach, enrollment, and recruitment efforts for teacher preparation programs.
Retention in Teacher Education Programs: Assistance to persist and complete preparation programs, including skill-building and leadership development trainings.
In-Service Classroom Retention: Professional development that fosters peer-to-peer connections and mentorship, resulting in perseverance and job satisfaction.
Professional Advancement: Assistance for educators pursuing certification in teaching, administration, or leadership.
Professional and Organizational Development: Resources supporting non-teaching staff’s development toward teaching certification and expanding community organizations’ organizational capability.
First-time award recipient Joe Truss of Truss Leadership stated, “To achieve antiracist outcomes in schools, educators of color must be at the core of the endeavor. Truss provides a community where teachers can be their complete selves, receive support for their retention, and investigate the necessary systemic reforms to keep themselves and our children of color thriving. Truss Leadership will be able to construct professional learning spaces that honor the unique experiences of educators of color, support well-being techniques, and promote effective teaching practices with the use of the funding.
Long-Term FEPP Taxation Technology Access Foundation (TAF), a FEPP Levy Opportunity & Access partner, will use Educator Diversity funds to provide 70 Martinez Fellows in Seattle with liberation pedagogy seminars, graduate-level scholarships, and early career counseling. “We bring together educators to form a community of freed leaders who create real change in the education system and prioritize the success of children of color. According to Trish Millines Dziko, Co-Founder and Executive Director of TAF, “Our students deserve to learn in circumstances that nurture their brilliance and instill confidence in their distinctive voice and achievements.”
Other DEEL-funded investments in educator diversity include the Academy for Rising Educators and the Seattle Teacher Residency, both of which are implemented in conjunction with Seattle Public Schools. Since 2019, over 250 educators have benefited from DEEL’s educator diversity investments.
The complete list of awardees for Educator Diversity includes:
Filipino American Educators of Washington* – $150,000 ACE Academy – $150,000
My Brother’s Teacher: $200,000 Praxis Institute for Early Childhood Education: $200,000 Technology Access Foundation: $148,797 Truss Leadership: $144,000
*Recipient of DEEL financing for the first time
Between September 2022 and December 2023, programs will be offered to educators in all council districts.
Through strategic investments in education, the objective of the City of Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning is to enhance the lives of Seattle’s children, youth, and families. www.seattle.gov/education