On Monday, December 5th WXXI News presents a five-part series that looks at teacher diversity. Degrees of Diversity stories will air Monday through Friday during Morning Edition (6 a.m. to 9 a.m.) and All Things Considered (4 p.m. to 6 p.m.) on AM 1370, WRUR-FM 88.5, and WEOS-FM 89.5. The series also can be heard online at WXXINews.org, where all the stories will be archived along with graphics and data from area school districts. 

A year-long investigative reporting project, Degrees of Diversity explores how severe the gap is between white teachers and teachers of color, the reasons behind the divide, and how the problem affects student learning. It also will look at the challenges of building a diverse teaching pipeline for future generations. The series includes a special broadcast of Connections with Evan Dawson recorded live from the Little Theatre at noon on Friday, Dec. 9. If you'd like to be part of the studio audience, I welcome you to attend. The event is free, and you can learn more by clicking here. 

I hope you have a chance to listen to these news segments when they air, or catch the archived stories online at your convenience. This is an important issue and one that we believe will encourage community dialogue.