Hear Us,
Believe Us:

In 2020-21, 80% of public school teachers were white, 9% were Hispanic, and only 6% were Blackⁱⁱ National Center for Education Statistics. (n.d.). Public school teachers. U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences. 2025 https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/clr/public-school-teachers, yet a large body of research substantiates the importance of teacher representation for student outcomes. The connections Black teachers build with students are valuable to their learning and greatly benefit Black students’ educational outcomes. Research shows that the mere presence of interacting with an education professional of the same race or background allows students to see those fields as possibilities.ⁱⁱⁱ Dee, T. S. (2004). Teachers, Race, and Student Achievement in a Randomized Experiment. The Review of Economics and Statistics, 86(1), 195–210. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3211667 Black educators have also been described as “warm demanders” who hold all students to high expectations and build personal relationships to establish mutual respect in the classroom.^iv Ware, F. (2006). Warm demander pedagogy: Culturally responsive teaching that supports a culture of achievement for African American students. Urban Education, 41(4), 427-456.

In under-resourced schools, Black teachers have achieved the highest student retention rates and lowered out-of-school suspensions by three times the average^v Griffin, A. & Tackie, H. (2017). Through our eyes: Perspectives from black teachers. Sage Journals 98(5). https://doi.org/10.1177/0031721717690363. Black teachers’ impact also reaches far beyond the classroom through their active involvement in leading positive racial climate initiatives in their schools. These educators are going above and beyond their job requirements to amplify issues of inequities and dismantle systemic racism due to their commitment to creating a high-quality learning environment for Black students. Teachers who serve as role models, mentors, leaders, and advisers are essential to the success of all students.

Similar to UNCF’s The HBCU Effect demonstrating the tangible, positive outcomes from HBCUs, we know that “The Black Teacher Effect” is real and palpable. Consider a few key findings below:

Black Teachers—Better for All Students

Research shows that having minority teachers benefits not just minority students, but all students as well.^vi “Unique Impact, Unique Burdens: Insights Into the Black Educator Experience” 2022. DonorsChoose https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a2WA_8K2pOVtM_aRoCt0ncesqHN4uNRp/view In fact, Black teachers positively impact test scores and decrease absences by more than 20% for all students—no matter their race or ethnicity.^vii Blazar, David. (2024). Why Black Teachers Matter. Educational Researcher, 53(8), 450-463. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X241261336

The HBCU Effect in K-12

Students perform better in math when they have an HBCU-educated teacher. HBCU-educated Black male teachers spend more time with students outside their classroom (mentoring, tutoring, supporting) than Black teachers who did not attend an HBCU.^viii Edmonds, Lavar. 2022. “Role Models Revisited: HBCUs, Same-Race Teacher Effects, and Black Student Achievement.” https://www.lavaredmonds.com/uploads/1/4/2/8/142800166/hbcus_and_teacher_effects_draft_20220815.pdf

College Enrollment

Black students who had just one Black teacher by third grade were 13% more likely to enroll in college. And, those who had two Black teachers were 32% more likely to enroll in college as well.^ix Gershenson, S. & Hart, C. M. D. et al. (2022). "The Long-Run Impacts of Same-Race Teachers," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 14(4), 300-342.

High Expectations

Black teachers’ expectations for Black students are 30–40% higher than non-Black teachers.^x Gershenson, Seth, Stephen B. Holt, and Nicholas Papageorge. 2016. “Who believes in me? The effect of student–teacher demographic match on teacher expectations.” Economics of Education Review 52: 209-224. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272775715300959

Black Teachers and Decreased Discipline

Black teachers decrease the presence of Black students receiving exclusionary discipline.

• More racial balance between teachers and students is related to the implementation of learning-oriented discipline policies rather than sanction-oriented discipline policies.^xi Roch, Cristine. H., David W. Pitts, & Ignacio Navarro. 2010. "Representative bureaucracy and policy tools ethnicity, student discipline, and representation in public schools." Administration & Society 42(1): 38-65.
• Black boys are less likely to be subjected to exclusionary discipline when taught by Black teachers.^xii Lindsay, Constance A., & Hart, Cassandra. M. D. (2017). Exposure to Same-Race Teachers and Student Disciplinary Outcomes for Black Students in North Carolina. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 39(3), 485-510. https://doi.org/10.3102/0162373717693109

These findings can also be used as talking points for advocacy efforts. For additional talking points and data see the Million Teachers of Color initiative.

Across a variety of indicators in Hear Us Believe Us, Black parents reported more positive outcomes and experiences when there were more Black teachers in the school.

Black Teachers and College Aspirations

• In schools where many or most of the teachers were Black, 71% of Black parents indicated that college was extremely important. Contrarily, in schools with few or no Black teachers, only 53% of Black parents indicated that college was extremely important.
• A regression model showed that the probability that a Black parent views college as important for their child was higher if their children attended schools where many or most teachers were Black compared to schools with fewer Black teachers.

Black Teachers and Discipline

• Black parents and caregivers report lower instances of child suspensions when there are more Black teachers at their child’s school compared to schools with little to no Black teachers.
• The probability that Black parents’ children received exclusionary discipline (e.g., out-of-school suspensions) is almost three times lower than when their child attended schools with fewer Black teachers.

Black Teachers and School Environment

• Black teachers assist in building positive racial climates in schools. Black parents felt more respected and welcomed when many or most teachers were Black, compared to schools with fewer Black teachers.
• While 51% of Black parents and caregivers said that their school does a very good job at making them feel respected at school, the percentage increased by 9 percentage points for parents whose child attends schools with more Black teachers.

Black Leaders

• 70% of Black parents agree that educational efforts would be more effective if there were more Black leaders and organizations involved. Black leaders not only amplify issues of inequities and help to dismantle systemic racism; they also serve as role models for Black students.