Black men now represent only about 2% of teachers nationwide — a noticeable drop from 6.5% in the 2017-2018 school year. The declining presence of Black male teachers in classrooms tells us in no uncertain terms: the nation struggles to recruit and keep male teachers of color.
Dr. Jacob Easley II
Studies confirm that educators of color serve as cultural connectors and can positively impact Black students’ academic success, aspirations, and the school environment. Black students who encounter at least one Black teacher during elementary school are statistically more likely to finish high school and attend college. In essence, teachers of color matter.
However, increasing diversity among teachers is more complicated than is often portrayed.
According to the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), education majors are the least diverse among other fields. White students make up 68% of undergraduate education majors, compared to 57% in other majors; at the master’s level, the numbers are 70% versus 63%. Similarly, 74% of full-time faculty are White — mirroring the nearly 80% White teaching workforce.
Teachers of color, throughout their journey from training to career, often find themselves navigating environments quite different from their home communities. If education truly prepares citizens for democracy — as is inscribed across many state constitutions — then recruiting and retaining Black male teachers must become a national priority. Otherwise, we risk undermining the promise of an inclusive democracy, relegating diverse talents to the margins of America’s educational narrative.
In response, a growing number of grassroots and national organizations are building innovative, culturally responsive models to address this gap. This essay draws on interviews from the EDUP Xcelerated Excellence podcast with leaders of five such organizations—The Center for Black Educator Development, Real Men Teach, Profound Gentlemen, The Black Teacher Project, and Call Me Mister — to identify effective strategies for recruiting, developing, and retaining teachers of color, especially Black male educators. Their insights point to three foundational principles: belonging, mattering, and thriving. These concepts inform the creation of culturally affirming recruitment efforts, robust mentorship and career development programming, and equitable ecosystems.
Culturally affirming recruitment
Between 2018 and 2020, U.S. teacher preparation programs lost close to a quarter of a million enrollees. Today, many states report teacher shortages, thereby leaving 1of 8 teaching positions vacant or filled by uncertified teachers. With results like these, we need new strategies to attract Black men into the teaching pipeline. Research shows that race is inextricably linked to American identity across groups. This is especially among Black Americans. Creating supportive, culturally relevant conditions is essential for drawing more Black males into teacher preparation programs and the profession itself.
Including Black male teachers and prospective candidates in designing these recruitment efforts is critical. Emphasizing why Black males matter and belong in classrooms is equally paramount for both preparation programs and school districts. Podcast interviewees stress that campaigns should have clear purposes and celebrate the unique contributions of Black male educators, building communities where identity is valued.
Mentorship and career development
Within their first five years, 20–30% of new teachers leave the field, often citing personal reasons or poor working conditions. Teachers of color are frequently assigned to high-poverty, high-minority urban schools — settings known for higher turnover, which affects student learning, school climate, and resources. Retention efforts need to begin early in the pipeline, even before college. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) produce half of all Black teachers, but research indicates those trained by comprehensive, traditional university-based programs are more likely to remain in teaching than those from alternative routes. While enrollment among candidates of color has grown, alternate route programs have benefited most, whereas traditional programs face declines. Thus, new approaches are needed to retain Black males within the pipeline.
Podcast guests highlight holistic, identity-affirming mentorship and targeted professional development as key. Quality mentorship can alleviate isolation, especially where few teachers of color work. Professional development that helps teachers connect with the curriculum and supports culturally responsive pedagogy is equally important. Programs should support social-emotional health, instructional growth, and leadership for Black male teachers, strengthening their sense of belonging, reducing workplace burdens, and improving retention.
Ecosystems of equity and access
Many pipeline barriers emerge as early as elementary school, including negative schooling experiences and unequal opportunities for success. Students of color are disproportionately assigned to underfunded schools with less-qualified teachers. Only 57% of Black students have access to college-ready courses, compared with 81% of Asian American and 71% of White students. Disciplinary disparities are also evident — Black students are twice as likely to be suspended without educational services as White students. These challenges contribute to systemic bias and a “push-out” culture that discourages academic achievement and entry into teaching.
Black students account for just 13.2% of undergraduate enrollment and are more likely to take out loans compared to their White peers. Barriers extend beyond tuition. Curriculum and teaching practices in many teacher prep programs center whiteness, leading to isolation for candidates of color, and internships are often unpaid, which adds further financial strain. Many candidates cite such stress as a reason for choosing paid, alternative routes. State licensure requirements create additional obstacles, and studies confirm that race influences hiring after program completion. Once employed, Black male teachers are often burdened with disproportionate disciplinary responsibilities.
Rather than simply leaking, the teacher pipeline for Black males is broken. Patchwork solutions are inadequate — a systemic rebuild is necessary to ensure lasting improvement in recruiting, supporting, and retaining Black male educators.
Podcast guests call for an ecosystems approach, addressing all levels of the pipeline for meaningful, sustainable impact on Black male teacher belonging, mattering, and thriving. Partnerships and coalitions are vital for structural change. Supporting teachers of color and Black male educators requires ongoing commitment to educational equity for students at every level. National networks and local institutions alike must integrate advocacy, mentorship, and community empowerment to strengthen educator pipelines. Effective ecosystems recognize and build upon the assets, strengths, and cultures present in Black communities to achieve better outcomes and lasting progress.
Dr. Jacob Easley II is assistant dean for student success at Fordham University and an award-winning educational leader. He also hosts EDUP Xcelerated Excellence, a podcast which seeks to advance educational excellence and equity across traditional and non-traditional learning experiences and contexts.
