With this grant, Rodriguez will partner with New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) to conduct a descriptive study modeling the relationships between teacher leader diversity, teacher hiring and retention patterns, and student and teacher perceptions of school climate—factors linked to improved educational outcomes for students of color. Rodgriguez will leverage data from the NYCPS’ Teacher Career Pathways program, an initiative launched in 2013 with the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) to formalize teacher leadership roles and center teacher diversity as a policy goal. Other data sources will include human resource records, school administrative records, and measures of school climate collected via the annual NYC School Survey. Throughout the project an expert advisory panel comprising 1) an NYCPS staff member, 2) a UFT staff member, and 3) a practicing NYC teacher leader will assist the research team with interpreting results, identifying implications for policy and practice, and disseminating findings.
To what extent is the presence of teacher leaders of color associated with positive perceptions of school climate by students of color?
