LATINOS FOR EDUCATION COMMENDS $15M INVESTMENT BY MASSACHUSETTS HOUSE ON EDUCATOR DIVERSITY IN PROPOSED STATE BUDGET

LATINOS FOR EDUCATION COMMENDS $15M INVESTMENT BY MASSACHUSETTS HOUSE ON EDUCATOR DIVERSITY IN PROPOSED STATE BUDGET

The House Ways and Means Committee Strengthens Educator Diversification Investments and Opens the Door for Senate Support

            Latinos for Education released a statement in response to the House Ways and Means Committee’s proposed budget for FY23, including a $15,000,000 investment toward strengthening the state’s educator pipeline with an emphasis on increasing diversity. A majority of the new funding will be allocated towards addressing the cost of attending college, and providing financial assistance to educators through scholarships, while the remaining investment will address the repayment of loans that many educators accrue in the process of obtaining their teacher certification in higher education. 

            “Only a handful of states are prioritizing the diversity of our educator workforce, and I am proud to see Massachusetts at the forefront of this movement — advancing policy, securing funding, and ensuring that Latino educators in the state have a clear pipeline to enter and grow within the profession,” said Amanda Fernandez, Co-Founder, and CEO of Latinos for Education. “We have the opportunity to lead by example, and through these funds create new opportunities for teachers of color to attend school without the fear of how they will repay student loans.” 

            “With this commitment to diversifying the educator workforce, our state legislators are affirming that Latino teachers, and all educators of color, matter and making the investments needed to ensure that Massachusetts educators look like and represent our diverse student population,” said Manny Cruz, Director of Advocacy, Massachusetts for Latinos for Education. “While we celebrate this critical investment in the future of our diverse educator workforce, and the pipeline we can strengthen with these additional resources, we need the Senate to match this commitment in their budget proposal.”

            The proposed budget, if approved, would align with the current efforts proposed in the Educator Diversity Act (HB 682). This legislation, sponsored by Representative Alice Hanlon Peisch and Senator Jason Lewis, would strengthen the pipeline that currently exists for educators of color to enter the profession by investing in alternative pathways for teacher certification and creating mechanisms for schools to retain educators of color. It would also create tools and resources to track educator diversity through dashboards and ensure each school district has a diversity, equity, and inclusion plan.

            To learn more about the Educator Diversity Act, visit: www.latinosforeducation.org/educator-diversity-act/ 

About Latinos for Education:

            Latinos for Education is a national education non-profit organization focused on developing, placing, and connecting essential Latino talent in the education sector. The organization is mobilizing a network of skilled education leaders to ensure the voice of students and families is not only heard but factored into decision-making in schools, communities, and educational institutions throughout the U.S. The organization also ensures Latino education professionals have access to a nationwide network of peers as well as career and professional development opportunities across the country through the members-only EdCentro network. For more information visit: https://www.latinosforeducation.org.