Black students in Connecticut’s public schools are being taught by far more new, less-experienced teachers than their white peers.
In the 4th grade, 36 percent of black students are being taught by math teachers with less than five years in the classroom vs. 19 percent for white students. That gap was the largest in the nation for the last school year, the U.S. Department of Education’s research arm reported Tuesday.
Similar yawning gaps exist for black and white 8th graders. Hispanic students are also taught by less experienced teachers than their white peers, but the gap is slightly less than the national average.
See how other states compare here.
| 4th grade math students | Taught by teacher w/ less than 1 year experience | 1-5 years experience | More than 5 years experience |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 4.3% | 14.4% | 81.3% |
| Black | 7.8% | 28.5% | 63.8% |
| Hispanic | 4.5% | 20.2% | 75.3% |
| Qualify for free meals | 6.0% | 20.0% | 73.9% |
| Do not qualify for free meals | 3.7% | 15.2% | 81.1% |
| With a disability | 4.0% | 20.3% | 75.7% |
| w/o disability | 4.7% | 16.5% | 78.7% |
U.S. Department of Education
| 4th grade reading students | Taught by teacher w/ less than 1 year experience | 1-5 years experience | More than 5 years experience |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 3.8% | 14.6% | 81.6% |
| Black | 6.3% | 16.5% | 77.2% |
| Hispanic | 5.8% | 16.1% | 78.1% |
| Qualify for free meals | 6.4% | 17.3% | 76.3% |
| Do not qualify for free meals | 3.3% | 13.9% | 82.8% |
| With a disability | 2.9% | 18.9% | 78.2% |
| w/o disability | 4.7% | 14.6% | 80.8% |
U.S. Department of Education
| 8th grade math students | Taught by teacher w/ less than 1 year experience | 1-5 years experience | More than 5 years experience |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 5.1% | 21.1% | 73.8% |
| Black | 7.6% | 31.7% | 60.7% |
| Hispanic | 9.0% | 26.3% | 64.7% |
| Qualify for free meals | 6.8% | 29.4% | 63.9% |
| Do not qualify for free meals | 5.8% | 20.3% | 73.9% |
| With a disability | 5.7% | 25.0% | 69.3% |
| w/o disability | 6.2% | 23.2% | 70.6% |
U.S. Department of Education
| 8th grade reading students | Taught by teacher w/ less than 1 year experience | 1-5 years experience | More than 5 years experience |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 3.9% | 17.8% | 78.2% |
| Black | 5.9% | 25.4% | 68.6% |
| Hispanic | 8.9% | 29.6% | 61.5% |
| Qualify for free meals | 5.5% | 26.8% | 67.6% |
| Do not qualify for free meals | 4.8% | 17.8% | 77.4% |
| With a disability | 3.1% | 24.7% | 72.2% |
| w/o disability | 5.4% | 20.2% | 74.4% |
U.S. Department of Education