Greener than ever? A look at the newest teachers in our public schools

Drawing on nationally representative data from the 1988 to 2018 school years, the authors provide an overview of some of the key changes in the characteristics of first-year teachers in the U.S., including racial/ethnic identity, education levels, subject area, and certification status. The data also show that new teachers have become increasingly more likely, compared to experienced teachers, to work in schools with a greater fraction of students of color, which has consequences for equitable teacher assignments and teacher attrition.