Why Minnesota needs more Black teachers

MPR News with Angela Davis · Jun 15, 2026 · 48m

Minnesota's student population has grown significantly more diverse over the past few decades. Today, nearly 40 percent of the state's K-12 students identify as students of color.

But, according to the Minnesota Department of Education, just 7 percent of the state’s teachers identify as teachers of color.

The gap is even wider for Black educators. While Black students make up about 12 percent of Minnesota's student population, Black teachers account for just 1.4 percent of the state's teaching workforce. And Black men make up only 0.5 percent of all K-12 teachers in the state.

MPR News host…