CCPS behind on some staff diversity targets, but outperforming state average
Carroll County Public Schools are behind on some staff diversity targets, but they still outperform the state average when it comes to the gap between students of color and teachers of color, according to data shared during December’s Board of Education meeting by Ernesto Diaz, CCPS director of human resources.
CCPS has a stated priority of making the school system’s staff reflect the diversity of the student body:
“By 2026, CCPS will increase the diversity of all staff to reflect the diversity of our students as measured by each staff group being within 1% of the student group.”
But, Carroll schools are behind on four of six of those targets this year:
For black staff, the 2024 target was 4.06%, but the actual came in at just 2.5%, a decrease from the 2023 baseline which was 2.88%.
For asian staff, the 2024 target was 2.45%, but the actual is 1.1%, up from a 2023 baseline of 0.95%
For hispanic staff, the 2024 target was 7.42%, but the actual is 2%, up a little from the 2023 baseline of 1.83%
For multiracial staff, the 2024 target 3.13%, but the actual was 0.65%, down from the 2023 baseline of 0.9%,
“There’s a lot more work to be done,” Diaz said.
Diaz said to bolster diversity the school system is increasing the number of recruiting events oriented towards diverse candidates, including:
Historically black colleges and universities
Hispanic serving institutions
Recruiting events beyond Maryland
“We should never rely on a person’s demographics to hire them,” said Steve Whisler, Carroll school board vice president. “But instead, their qualifications and ability to do the job.”
Despite coming up short of targets, Carroll outperforms the state average when it comes to the gap between students of color and teachers of color.
In Carroll, 23% of students are of color, while 3% of teachers are, a 20 point gap. Across Maryland, the gap is 36 points, according to Diaz’s presentation.
In neighboring Baltimore County, the gap is 46 points
In Frederick County, the gap is 40 points
And in Howard County, it is 48 points
