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Modesto City Schools outlines steps to boost teacher diversity, expands residency and grow-your-own programs
Summary
Board heard an Equity Task Force update showing a gap between student racial demographics (about 68.9% Hispanic/Latino) and staff composition, and approved expansion of recruitment, a paid teacher residency and classified-to-certificated pathways to increase teacher diversity and retention.
The Modesto City Schools Board on March 31 received an update on the Equity Task Force recommendation to increase teacher diversity, including recruitment campaigns, partnerships with local universities and a paid teacher residency program intended to bring more district employees and community members into certificated roles.
The presentation, led by Mr Henderson and Dr chrisy Allen, used Oct. 2, 2024 census data showing 29,693 students of whom 68.9% identified as Hispanic or Latino. Dr chrisy Allen said that while student diversity has risen, the district’s certificated staff remains disproportionately white: “When we started this work in 2019, 84% of our students identified as students of color yet 72% of our teachers identified as white; today 60% of our teachers are white,” she said, describing multi-year gains in Hispanic/Latino staff representation.
Fallon Ferris, who outlined recruitment and retention initiatives, said the district has launched weekly targeted recruitment emails, a Teach MCS website to simplify pathways into teaching and a suite of grow-your-own programs including Educators Rising and classified-to-certificated supports. “We are making the journey to becoming a teacher more accessible,” Ferris said, describing university partnerships that allow employees to pursue degrees for reduced cost and a residency model that pays participants.
The board heard details of the teacher residency pilot: seven paid residents in the first cohort, expanding to 12–13 in year two. Ferris said the residency provides a paid, year-long, hands-on pathway with a $40,000 stipend (minus fringe) and that all seven members of the first cohort secured positions for the 2025–26 school year. The district is also planning an aspiring special educators program in partnership with Stan State to address special education teacher shortages.
Trustees asked for more quantitative exit-interview data by demographic group and for clarity on how the district balances diversity goals with quality standards. Trustee Irvin pressed for exit-survey trends, noting the district only recently added demographic fields to separation forms; district staff said they are compiling qualitative and emerging quantitative data and will report back. Trustees also discussed the district’s intention to prioritize internal employees for grow-your-own pathways and the need to clearly communicate when positions funded with one-time dollars are temporary.
Why it matters: Modesto City Schools serves a predominantly Hispanic/Latino student population; board members said recruiting and retaining a more diverse certificated staff could help students see themselves reflected in adults at school and potentially improve outcomes. The board did not take a formal vote on these programs; staff framed the update as information and next steps.
What’s next: Staff said they will continue to expand the residency and aspiring-special-educators programs, launch a districtwide recruitment and retention survey, run focus groups, and report back to the board with compiled exit-interview trends and quantitative breakdowns.
