In 1992-93, almost 52 percent of students in [url=http://www.excellenceintheclassroom.com/]Texas Classroom[/url]s were minorities. Population projections indicate that ethnic and racial minorities, especially Hispanics, will make up the majority of the Texas population by 2015. By 2025, two of every three school children in [url=http://www.excellenceintheclassroom.com/]Texas Classroom[/url]s will be minorities. These population dynamics can already be seen in many schools. More than half of the students in 255 of the 1048 Texas school districts are minorities.
77 percent of the Texas teaching force is white. The same diversity found among students in [url=http://www.excellenceintheclassroom.com/]Texas Classroom[/url]s is not found among teachers. An objective of the State Board of Education is to have a teaching force that reflects the ethnic composition of the state. It is argued that the demographic makeup of the teaching force is a dimension of quality relevant to learning outcomes for minority students.
Various studies concur that the diversity of the teaching force is relevant for a number of reasons. Diversity is considered important because students need role models of like characteristics in professional positions and all students need exposure to professionals who reflect the diversity of the state. The absence of role models gives minority students the negative message that opportunities are unavailable to persons from their backgrounds. With Hispanic teachers as role models, for instance, Hispanic students see that they can aspire to middle-class success yet retain an identity with other Hispanics. In this way, Hispanic teachers as role models have been found to contribute to academic achievement among lower socio-economic status Hispanics.
77 percent of the Texas teaching force is white. The same diversity found among students in [url=http://www.excellenceintheclassroom.com/]Texas Classroom[/url]s is not found among teachers. An objective of the State Board of Education is to have a teaching force that reflects the ethnic composition of the state. It is argued that the demographic makeup of the teaching force is a dimension of quality relevant to learning outcomes for minority students.
Various studies concur that the diversity of the teaching force is relevant for a number of reasons. Diversity is considered important because students need role models of like characteristics in professional positions and all students need exposure to professionals who reflect the diversity of the state. The absence of role models gives minority students the negative message that opportunities are unavailable to persons from their backgrounds. With Hispanic teachers as role models, for instance, Hispanic students see that they can aspire to middle-class success yet retain an identity with other Hispanics. In this way, Hispanic teachers as role models have been found to contribute to academic achievement among lower socio-economic status Hispanics.