Understanding the Diversity Gap 

The need for such support is clear: While public school populations have become increasingly diverse, teacher demographics haven't kept pace. Pew Research Center data shows only 7% of teachers identify as Black, compared to 14% of public-school students. The gap is even wider among Hispanic and Latine educators, who represent just 9% of teachers despite serving a student population that is nearly one-third Hispanic or Latine. 

"Given the significant and systemic barriers that educators of color can encounter entering and advancing within the profession, it is essential for the industry to understand those barriers and address them through robust, targeted resources. This support is crucial for teachers' entry into the profession as well as for their long-term retention and success," said Dana Bryson, SVP, Social Impact at Study.com. In the current research study, participating candidates were well-represented by teachers of color, with 45% identifying as Black or a race other than White, providing a unique opportunity to examine how equitable access to preparation materials can help increase teacher diversity to better reflect the demographics of the student population in North and South Carolina. 

Notable Findings from the North Carolina Teach Study 

The research revealed several significant outcomes when candidates made use of comprehensive test preparation resources: 

• The Praxis pass rate for candidates making sufficient usage of Study.com was 15% higher than the pass rate for those making limited usage of Study.com.  
• Pass rates for Black test takers making sufficient usage of Study.com was 18% higher than the pass rate among Black test takers with limited usage of Study.com. 
• For the Praxis Math Content Knowledge for Teaching exam, 91 candidates engaged with Study.com course materials and took the test both before and after their preparation. This allowed for preliminary analysis of the relation between the use of Study.com and changes in Praxis scores.  
• The median post-test score among the 57 participants who had sufficient usage of Study.com was 152, which is almost 5 points higher than the 147 median post-test score among the 34 test takers who had limited usage of Study.com. 
• The distribution of score change shows strong improvement for a majority of the 57 candidates with sufficient usage of Study.com candidates.  

Implications for Educational Equity 

Prior research indicates that increased teacher diversity benefits all students, improving various metrics including academic performance, behavior and discipline, graduation rates. "Ensuring that teacher candidates - especially those from diverse backgrounds - are fully supported and well-prepared for the Praxis exam is crucial to building a more equitable education system," said Paul Gollash, Senior Vice President of K-16, ETS. "By helping teacher candidates excel, we take an important step toward expanding access to opportunities that have historically been limited. Mentoring, coaching and other candidate development offerings create a teaching workforce that more accurately reflects the diverse communities they serve." This ongoing research contributes to our understanding of how targeted support can help create a more diverse and qualified teaching workforce. As the partnership between Study.com and Praxis continues, future studies will explore additional strategies to support aspiring educators in their certification journey.