Increase in Diverse Staff at Newton Public Schools, Data Shows

NEWTON, MA – Newton Public Schools released its annual Diversity Report this year, which demonstrated a slight increase in diversity hirings from the previous year, but overall showed a gap between the diversity of staff and the students they teach.

According to the report, staff of color represent 11.59 percent of the NPS workforce, up from 10.86 percent during the 2015-16 school year. Here's a look at how the staffing breaks down:

• Central Staff: 16.67 percent
• Secondary Principals: 16.67 percent
• Elementary Principals: 13.33 percent
• Non-Aligned Staff and Administrators: 6.25 percent
• Unit A: Teachers, Specialists, Counselors, Social Workers and Psychologists: 10.26 percent
• Unit B: Asst. Principals, Directors, Department Heads, Housemasters, Coordinators and Supervisors: 9.59 percent
• Unit C: Teacher Aides: 13.61 percent
• Unit D: Instructional Support Staff: 12.09 percent
• Unit E: Admin. Technology Specialists, Community Education Employees, etc: 6.06 percent
• Interns/Coops: 14.29 percent
• Long Term Substitutes: 4.76 percent
• NESA: Secretaries: 10.84 percent
• Custodians: 13.10 percent
• Elementary Lunch Staff: 25 percent
• METCO Bus Monitors: 100 percent

But despite strides in hiring a more diverse staff, the district's employees are still disproportionally white compared to its student body. According to the Newton TAB, 64 percent of students identify as white, compared to 88 percent of staff.

The report also shows that women hold the majority of positions within the NPS system; 75.69 percent of the staff are female, while 24.31 are male.

>>>Click here for a closer look at the demographics of the Newton Public Schools staff

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