Achieving Equity in Access to Qualified Teachers in HISD - Research Brief - August 2023

Oct 15, 2026

Research Brief for the Houston Independent School District (HISD) analyzing the equitable distribution of qualified teachers across campuses in 2018–19 and 2019–20. The study compares teacher attributes and student needs, including advanced degrees, education background, and certifications in Special Education (SPED) and ESL/Bilingual Education. Results show equitable placement for SPED and ESL/Bilingual-certified teachers, while distribution can improve for teachers with formal education backgrounds, advanced degrees, and greater teaching experience, including Title 1-related gaps. The study also evaluates racial/ethnic matching between student and teacher populations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages18

Reading Time45 min

AccessFree to download

Key Findings

Equitable distribution by student need

Gaps by experience and credentials

Equitable Distribution of Teacher Qualifications

Teacher quality measures

Equity challenges for minority and disadvantaged students

Availability of Diverse Teachers for a Diverse Student Population

Racial/ethnic alignment by campus composition

Building Better Cities Building Better Lives Achieving Equity in Access to Qualified Teachers in HISD Tori Thomas, Ph. D. and Gabriela Sánchez-Soto, Ph. D. Photo by Katerina Holmes Research Brief for the Houston Independent School District August 2023 Suggested citation. Thomas, T. & Sánchez-Soto, G. Achieving Equity in Access to Qualified Teachers in HISD. (2023) . Houston, TX: Houston Education Research Consortium, Kinder Institute for Urban Research, Rice University. About HERC. Focusing on the most pressing challenges facing the region, the Houston Education Research Consortium (HERC) is a researchpractice partnership between Rice University and 11 Houston-area school districts. HERC research is developed directly alongside district leaders with findings shared with decision makers—culminating in long-term, equity-minded solutions, opportunities and growth for Houston and beyond. [DOI: doi.org/10.25611/JNK0-ZT31](DOI: doi.org/10.25611/JNK0-ZT31) Research Brief Achieving Equity in Access to Qualified Teachers in HISD This study analyzed the equitable distribution of qualified teachers across schools in the Houston Independent School District (HISD) in the 2018–19 and 2019–20 school years. It examined how the characteristics of teachers were distributed in schools relative to the characteristics of the students attending those schools. For each HISD campus, the study assessed the percentage of teachers who have advanced degrees; the percentage of teachers with certifications in special education (SPED), English as a Second Language (ESL) or Bilingual Education; the percentage of teachers who have a background in education; and the average years of teaching experience. Findings showed that HISD teachers with certifications in SPED andESL/Bilingual Education were equitably distributed across the campuses where students needed them most. However, HISD can improve the distribution of teachers with a formal background in education, advanced degrees, and more years of teaching experience. Given the racial/ethnic diversity of HISD students and teachers, this study also examined the extent to which the racial/ethnic makeup of students resembled that of the teachers in their schools. The study found that schools with the highest proportions of Black or Hispanic students also had the highest proportions of Black or Hispanic teachers respectively, meaning that Black or Hispanic students attending schools where they are the majority were more likely tobe taught by teachers who looked like them. Achieving Equity in Access to Qualified Teachers in HISD ~~ ~~1~~ ~~ RESEARCH BRIEF Key Findings HISD equitably distributes teachers with certifications in Special Education and ESL/ Bilingual Education based on student need. ▪ Schools with the highest proportions of Special Education (SPED) students also had more teachers certified in SPED. ▪ Schools with the highest proportions of English learner (EL) students had more teachers certified to teach ESL and/or Bilingual Education. HISD can improve equity in its distribution of teachers with more teaching experience, a formal background in education, and advanced degrees. ▪ Nine out of 10 schools in HISD are Title 1 schools. However, Title 1 schools had less experienced teachers and fewer teachers who had a formal background in education relative to non-Title 1 schools. ▪ Schools with the highest proportions of Black students had the highest proportions of teachers with advanced degrees but also less experienced teachers. ▪ Schools with the highest proportions of Hispanic students had teachers with more experience but also fewer with advanced degrees. The availability of Black and Hispanic teachers in HISD schools was highest on campuses with more Black and Hispanic students, respectively. The Houston Independent School district (HISD) is the largest school district in the state of Texas and has a more diverse student and teacher population relati

FAQs

Which teacher certifications were found to be equitably distributed across HISD campuses?

Teachers with certifications in Special Education (SPED) and ESL/Bilingual Education were distributed equitably across campuses where students most needed them.

What areas did the study say HISD can improve for greater teacher equity?

HISD can improve the distribution of teachers with a formal background in education, advanced degrees, and more years of teaching experience.

How did the study relate campus racial/ethnic student composition to teacher availability?

The study found that campuses with the highest proportions of Black or Hispanic students also had the highest proportions of Black or Hispanic teachers, making it more likely that students are taught by teachers who share their racial/ethnic background.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Sophia Brooks