More than two decades since the first study to document the shortage of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) teachers, this paper examines recent trends and factors related to AAPI teacher career choice using the American Community Survey 2013-2017. The results show a continued underrepresentation of AAPI teachers relative to AAPI students at the local and national levels, a pattern similar to Black and Hispanic teachers and students. AAPIs born in the United States with reported higher levels of English proficiency are also more likely to become teachers than AAPIs not born in the United States or those with reported lower levels of English proficiency. The study has implications for attracting and supporting AAPIs from immigrant and linguistically diverse backgrounds into K-12 teaching.
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