On the day Gov. Dannel Malloy signed a bill regarding minority teacher recruitment, New Haven school officials announced they are stepping up their efforts to hire teachers from diverse backgrounds.
"When a student of color walks into a classroom and sees a teacher of color, a connection is likely to be made more readily," Mayor Toni Harp said Thursday at a press conference.
In New Haven Public Schools, only 13 percent of the teachers are African American and seven percent are Hispanic.
"That reflects the challenge, close to 80 percent of our students are of color," Superintendent Garth Harries said.
The NAACP of Connecticut is inviting representatives from 30 historically black colleges with teaching programs to a conference in New Haven. It is scheduled for Dec. 1-2 at Yale University.
"To have a comprehensive conversation, to talk about a plan in reference to bringing a pipeline of minority teachers up to the great state of Connecticut," said Scot X. Esdaile, the president of Connecticut State Conference of NAACP Branches.
Retaining teachers is a challenge because of their salaries, Esdaile said.
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"We need to have that conversation about how we redirect our values in reference to paying teachers what they deserve," he told NBC Connecticut.
Since 2013, Harries said the district has filled about 75 percent of its administrator openings with candidates of color, something he hopes will help bring more minority teachers into the classrooms.
"I’m glad the New Haven district has decided to roll up their sleeves and tighten up their boots on this particular issue," Esdaile said. "We need the same type of efforts all across this state and across this nation."
