"When taught by a teacher of color, students of color experience higher reading and math test scores, higher graduation rates, decreased dropout and discipline rates, and increased enrollment in advanced courses."
So says David Cicilline, president and CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation, which has awarded $1.2 million in grants to four school districts in the state to boost the number of teachers of color, the AP reports.
Newport Public Schools will receive $300,000 to establish an apprenticeship program to recruit and train teacher assistants of color to be state certified teachers.
The other three school districts receiving grants are Providence, Pawtucket, and Central Falls.
"Research has shown benefits, particularly for students of color, when students are matched with a teacher of their same race," Cicilline says.
"When taught by a teacher of color, students of color experience higher reading and math test scores, higher graduation rates, decreased dropout and discipline rates, and increased enrollment in advanced courses."
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