Hispanic, Latino, and Spanish Origin Educators’ Experiences in Preschool Settings
Educators who identify as Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish Origin are a large and important part of the Denver Preschool Program’s (DPP) workforce. Evaluators from the Butler Institute for Families at the University of Denver surveyed 410 educators, and 56% identified as Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish Origin. Evaluators also interviewed six educators who identify as Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish Origin. This brief summarizes these educators’ experiences.
Job Role and Pay
Educators who identify as Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish Origin had worked in early childhood education (ECE) for several years (59% for at least 7 years). They were represented across all job roles; however, they were overrepresented in assistant teacher positions 1 (53% compared to 31% across all educators) and were underrepresented in lead teacher and leadership roles (13% compared to 17% across all educators).
1 “Assistant teachers” also includes aide, paraprofessional, substitute teacher, and floater.
Hispanic, Latino, and Spanish Origin educators
indicated:
- Lower levels of self- care
- Lower job satisfaction
- Less frequent availability of necessary materials
- Less idea sharing among teachers
- Lower overall workplace climate scores
- Higher burnout
- Less implementation of inclusive practices at ECE program
frequently took on additional responsibilities outside of their classrooms. For instance, one educator shared that she was assigned to translate the math and literacy curricula at her school, and she described the task as “never- ending” and “draining . ” Pay equity audits could be a good first step for DPP to ensure that bilingual and multilingual educators are compensated for their additional labor.
Four out of five Hispanic, Latino, and Spanish Origin educators experienced at least some difficulty paying their bills over the last year and specifically reported difficulty:
• Affording food they wanted
• Paying the full amount of their gas, oil, or electricity bills
• Paying for health care and/or medicines
• Paying for adequate shelter.
Although many surveyed educators reported at least some financial strain across all job roles, assistant teachers reported the highest levels of financial difficulty. As previously mentioned, Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish Origin educators are overrepresented in the assistant teacher role, so they are more impacted by financial strain.
Experience in ECE
Generally, Hispanic, Latino, and Spanish Origin educators saw their career in ECE as their “chosen occupation” (53%) and intended to stay in their current position at their program for four or more years (59%). Regardless, this group of educators reported lower job satisfaction and a higher level of burnout than any other group of diverse educators. They reported significantly lower satisfaction than other diverse educators with their:
• Job roles and responsibilities
• Pay
• Training and professional development opportunities
• Advancement opportunities
Hispanic, Latino, and Spanish Origin educators indicated:
• Lower levels of self- care
• Less frequent availability of necessary materials
• Less idea sharing among teachers
• Lower overall workplace climate ratings
In interviews, they also cited instances when they felt “othered.” One educator felt like they and their coworkers were criticized for speaking Spanish in a common area and were accused of talking about other teachers. These types of experiences make it hard for Hispanic, Latino, and Spanish Origin educators to connect with other staff and impact the workplace climate, which may explain why they had lower ratings.
Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish Origin educators were less likely to agree that their program was implementing inclusive practices. In interviews, several educators talked about the importance of language and culture in their classroom but explained that other staff at their program may not prioritize inclusive practices. One educator shared that some staff at their program thought cultural assimilation was best practice for refugee families, but the educator knew how harmful practices like assimilation could be, resulting in children “losing their culture, their language, and their way of communicating with their elders.”
These examples illustrate why Hispanic, Latino, and Spanish Origin educators perceived a lack of inclusive practices at their programs This perceived lack of inclusive practices makes educators feel unsafe and uncomfortable and impacts educators’ and students’ ability to bring their authentic selves to the classroom. DPP should offer professional development opportunities on inclusive practices and the impact of harmful practices like assimilation.
Workplace Racism
Two -thirds of Hispanic, Latino, and Spanish Origin educators witnessed and/or experienced racism at their program, which was the most of any diverse educator group. These educators experienced racial battle fatigue (RBF) symptoms or stress and exhaustion “associated with racial microaggressions [that cause] various forms of mental, emotional, and
Racial battle fatigue (RBF) is stress and exhaustion “associated with racial microaggressions [that cause] various forms of mental, emotional, and physical strain.”
Hispanic, Latino, and Spanish Origin educators often responded to racism at work by having conversations about stereotypes and biases with everyone involved and spreading awareness. However, some educators did not feel safe talking about racism at their program. They instead described how they approached racism with their students in the classroom:
““I like to say that I fight racism from the inside, and I hope that my students feel empowered, and they keep on feeling empowered years in the future because it is not okay that we make them feel less because they speak a different language, or they come from a different culture, or their food tastes different. And so I just want them to feel proud of who they are and as a person, as a human being, and they have so much to give, and that's why we are teachers.”
Retention
About one in four Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish Origin educators planned to leave their current position in the next two years (27%), and many of these educators planned to leave the early childhood field to work in a different profession (27%) Unsurprisingly, the most common reason Hispanic, Latino, and Spanish Origin educators gave for leaving was to pursue a higher paying job (73%). Other reasons educators frequently selected for leaving included:
• Not feeling supported or valued by leadership
• Wanting better benefits
• Wanting a job that better matches their interests, skills, or degree
• Being emotionally exhausted or “burnt out” from their current job
Hispanic, Latino, and Spanish Origin educators planned to leave their current position because they:
- Wanted a higher paying job
- Did not feel leadership supported or valued them
- Wanted better benefits
- Wanted a job that better aligned with their interest, skills, or degree
- Were emotionally exhausted or “burnt out”
programming. DPP approved resources specifically for diverse educators like Hispanic, Latino, and Spanish Origin educators to implement in the 2024 – 2025 school year. These resources include a webinar series and reflective consultation for educators of color. This will provide support and build a community for diverse educators. In addition, DPP must continue collaborating with Hispanic, Latino, and Spanish Origin educators to explore their experiences in ECE programs and collaborate on the supports they need to thrive in the field. Continued advocacy for a system to report racism and discrimination, language justice, and pay equity are also key to supporting this group of educators.
Resources:
WEBINAR SERIES
The Webinar Series provides a supportive space for educators from historically underrepresented communities. Each session addresses common challenges, exploring ways to celebrate racial identity and use creativity for healing. Participants will engage in healing practices and gain practical strategies to navigate these experiences, fostering resilience and empowerment.
REFLECTIVE CONSULTATION
Reflective Consultation supports educators in their first three years of teaching by fostering selfawareness, enhancing their work with students and caregivers, and creating individual and collective learning opportunities. Participants will gain strategies to strengthen connections with fellow educators, navigate the challenges of teaching, and develop their ability to process, reflect, and grow in their roles.
