U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan Encourages Students to Choose Teaching Careers

Strategic Insights -

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Grammy Award-winning artist John Legend visited Howard University in Washington, D.C. to promote the TEACH campaign, a national teacher recruitment initiative. The duo hosted a TEACH town hall meeting with students and educators to encourage more diverse, high-quality teachers to join the profession. With over a million teachers expected to retire in the coming years, Duncan and Legend emphasized the importance of transforming public education in America.

Key Takeaways:

  • The TEACH campaign aims to recruit more minorities, especially males, to pursue careers in teaching, as currently, less than 15 percent of teachers are African American or Hispanic, and less than two percent are African American males.
  • The campaign is part of the Department's national teacher recruitment initiative launched earlier this year to celebrate and recruit high-quality teachers.
  • The TEACH campaign website, www.teach.gov, provides information and resources for students and prospective teachers, including a "pathway to teaching" tool and over 7,000 teacher job listings.
  • Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) education deans, such as Leslie T. Fenwick, dean of the School of Education at Howard University, were in attendance to support the initiative.
  • The TEACH town hall meeting was hosted in the Cramton Auditorium at Howard University, with a media availability following the event.

Statistics:

  • Over a million teachers are expected to retire in the coming years, creating a historic opportunity to transform public education in America.
  • Nationwide, more than 35 percent of public school students are African American or Hispanic, but less than 15 percent of teachers are African American or Hispanic.
  • Less than two percent of the nation's teachers are African American males.

Sources:

  • U.S. Department of Education. (2010). Event Lineup. Retrieved from U.S. Department of Education's press release

Note: The only source mentioned in the original text is the U.S. Department of Education's press release, which does not provide a date or timestamp.