Letter from our Education Chair

Behind every successful student is an outstanding educator that works above and beyond the call of duty to engage, inspire, and support future leaders for academic achievement. Across the country, the need to recruit and retain more teachers is an essential and urgent priority. In Indianapolis, across all types of schools, districts, charter, and innovation, the supply is not meeting the demand for positions.

Indianapolis, like many other urban cities in America, the teaching force does not currently mirror the student population. In 2016, the student population in Center Township was 79.3 percent of students identified as students of color (50.4 percent black, 23.1 percent Hispanic, and 5.8 percent other) and 20.7 percent of Caucasians. In the same year, teachers of color in Center Township schools made up 25.1 percent of the teaching force (19.6 percent black, 1.9 percent Hispanic, and 3.6 percent other). In comparison, 74.9 percent of the teachers identified as white (Indiana Department of Education, 2016). 

Research suggests that when students have access to a top teacher, they are less likely to have children as teenagers, are more likely to attend college, earn a higher salary, and save more for retirement. The impact of a teacher of color for all students has even more significant implications. In the 2018 report, The Opportunity Myth, research concluded that a teacher’s ability to have high expectations is a critical resource for closing the opportunity gap for all learners. In classrooms where the teachers shared their students’ race or identity, 66 percent of teachers held higher expectations for their students, leading to 4.6 months of academic growth. (TNTP, The Opportunity Myth, 2018) 

High expectations and teachers sharing the race or identity of the students also increases the likelihood of being tracked into high-ability programming, decreases the number of disciplinary infractions (suspensions, expulsions), and leads to higher graduation rates.
The Indianapolis Chapter of the Indiana Black Expo (ICIBE) has a profound obligation to continue the tradition of celebrating African American educators through our initiative, the African American in Education Excellence awards. Currently, in its fourth year, the award recognizes African American educator that exhibits the following characteristics:
· Passion and commitment to the profession
· Leadership, innovation, and creativity in their role
· Professional growth and development
· Leadership in developing a positive school culture
· Highly effective communication and collaboration skills
· Positive community relations

Last year, the chapter honored over seventy African American certified and classified educators. Also, we recognized the state’s teacher of the year, Mrs. Tamara Markey, MSD Lawrence. She shared in front of a crowd of over three hundred the impact of education inequities on the achievement gap. Unfortunately, we are unable to gather for breakfast, fellowship, and recognition. Instead, we will pay tribute to African American educators in partnership with the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the nation’s oldest Black newspapers celebrating 125 years of serving the Indianapolis community. The Indianapolis Recorder will host a virtual celebration for this year’s African American Excellence in Education winners and run a full-page color newspaper advertisement honoring this year’s recipients. Along with the Indianapolis Recorder, we have partnered with Martin University, Educate ME, and Indy K12 to celebrate this year’s recipients.