Massachusetts state data show that teaching staffs in public schools in the state are much  less racially diverse than the students. Research has found benefits for all students when more teachers come from diverse backgrounds.

Kysa Nygreen associate professor in the University of Massachusetts, Amherst College of Education says students of color tend do better in school when they have teachers who look like them.

“To have exposure to seeing a person of color as a person of authority, as an expert in their subject area and in content area knowledge. That’s important for students of color, but it’s also really important for white students,” said Nygreen.

According to the state about 37 percent of public school students identify as racial or ethnic minorities, while only seven percent of the teachers do. Nygreen says when students of color have mostly white teachers, they start to believe a career in education is not for them. She says one way public schools can do a better job of recruiting  teachers is to increase the pay.