13 Demographics and Representation
Families and Children: Demographic Data
Let’s pause here to consider the overall picture of Virginia’s demographics. The Voices for Virginia’s Children website has a report providing an overview of children across the Commonwealth and interactive maps that help us understand who we serve in greater detail. Take some time to explore each of the following below and consider what questions you might ask to better learn about the strengths of the community you serve, as well as the challenges and barriers they face.
Virginia’s Educator Workforce: The Representation Dilemma
Just as we notice differences between some localities’ enrollment demographics and those of their general population, we find even greater distinctions between the workforce demographics and learner population. The educator workforce, in particular, is predominantly white, female, Christian, and they most likely lived in a middle class home as a child. Approximately one third of each new teacher cohort in Virginia graduated from a teacher preparation degree program in Virginia (as of 2018).
Most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education indicate that just under 80% of candidates enrolled in these programs identify as white[1]. While we want to dig deeper into these data, Virginia is one of only six states in the nation not to report teacher diversity data (at the time we wrote this text).
Why might the lack of representation be important? Beyond the numerous studies that found correlations between learner outcomes and being assigned just one teacher of the same race and ethnicity[2], educators and clinicians advance to decision-makers and policy-influencers as they gain more experience in their professions. When those with expertise and political capital don’t represent the population they serve, there is a greater possibility that they will simply not prioritize the needs of families who, for example, don’t work or go to school on holy days, be unable to eat foods that the majority of the adults do, or communicate and behave in ways that align with white, Christian norms.
Let’s return to Mia and her mentor. Like many employees in many organizations, Mia’s mentor may have received training and introductions to varied organizational offices when she began teaching, but may not have had any larger orientation to make additional connections after that point. Like many educators and clinicians hired after the start of a school year or or after any larger new employee onboarding, her mentor may not have been fortunate to receive timely updates from higher levels of leadership. Or perhaps there was an email sent, without introductions or conversations about opportunities for support and collaboration. You can see how new employees often have more up-to-date knowledge of systems and structures due to common organizational communications challenges.
Pause and Ponder
Take a moment to consider how you might work with your supervisors and co-workers to ensure timely and up-to-date communications occur. We encourage you to think beyond an email or flier.
- What would be a helpful strategy for ensuring that you engage with the varied supports within your organization and your larger community?
- What opportunities might there be to elevate your practice, better serving families?
