AACTE Statement on the SCOTUS Decision on Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard University

(June 29, 2023, Washington, DC) – Since its founding in 1948, AACTE (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education) has been committed to advancing the field of educator preparation and ensuring that those preparing to be teachers, principals, and other professional educators represent the diversity of the children they educate. Today’s Supreme Court of the United States decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard University is contrary to our collective efforts to build an educator workforce that is diverse and representative. 

Diversity in the college student population is important to recruiting a cadre of teachers, principals, and other education professionals who reflect the diversity of the K-12 student population. Today, 79% of public school teachers identify as white while the majority of public school students are students of color.  

This demographic mismatch between public school educators and the students they serve is a proven barrier to academic achievement and attainment for students of color. When educators are racially and ethnically diverse, students of color have improved performance on standardized assessments in reading and mathematics in certain grades and are more likely to be placed in gifted education, graduate from high school, and be admitted to and enroll in college. Moreover, numerous research studies show that benefits accrue to all students when they are in schools with a diverse corps of educators.  

Given the nation’s history of racially exclusionary laws and policies, the contemporary research base that supports diversity, and the need for continued social progress, AACTE affirms its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as core to our mission and the work of our institutional members. AACTE urges its members and partners to continue identifying and using creative and effective institutional measures to advance racial and ethnic diversity in educator preparation programs, the education professions, and the education professoriate.   

For additional information, visit aacte.org. 

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About AACTE 

Established in 1948, AACTE is the leading voice in educator preparation. AACTE’s member institutions and programs prepare the greatest number of professional educators in the United States and its territories, including teachers, counselors, administrators, and college faculty. These professional educators are prepared for careers in PK-12 classrooms, colleges and universities, state and governmental agencies, policy institutes, and non-profit organizations. The AACTE alliance of colleges and universities and educator preparation programs collaborates with members and partners to advance the field of education by prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion, and engaging in research-based inquiry, advocacy, and innovative practice. Learn more at aacte.org.