This is part of a series of forward-looking predictions for 2025. Read more.
In June 2019, I packed my Subaru Outback with classroom supplies and rock climbing gear and left western Maryland to start my new life in Utah. Like many who move from the east coast to the west, I moved to Utah for access to the outdoors. I fell in love with Utah’s stunning landscapes — from the red and orange hues of canyon country, to the snow-draped peaks of the Wasatch Range in the winter and alpine wildflower meadows in the summer.
The beauty of Utah’s landscape reflects what we see in Utah’s classrooms — the beauty of diverse learners. Today, around 30% of Utah’s public school students are students of color, as opposed to 23.5% just twelve years ago. They bring with them cultural heritage and languages that enrich our school community.
At Northwest Middle School, where I work, 91% of students are students of color. My students are children in refugee and immigrant families who have vast funds of knowledge and are linguistically gifted. A few years ago, my students suggested that we count the number of languages spoken in our class. Together, we created a poster where students wrote “hello” in their home languages. We counted nine languages other than English spoken by my students in one class. I still have this poster hanging in my classroom and mention it throughout the year, with students adding additional languages. Swahili, Samoan, Farsi, Diné Bizaad, Q’anjob’al, Spanish and Albanian are just a few of the languages I’ve heard in classroom conversations.
This diversity also underscores a pressing challenge: Utah’s teacher workforce does not yet reflect the student population it serves.
Like the rest of the nation, the majority of Utah’s teachers are white — myself included. In my district, 20% of teachers are educators of color in comparison to students of color making up 60% of the district’s enrollment. How many of Utah’s students go through their K-12 education and never have a teacher who looks like them? Research tells us that when students of color see themselves reflected in their teachers, it fosters a sense of belonging, increases academic performance and helps students build a more positive relationship with school. Exposure to diverse role models and perspectives helps all students to broaden their understanding and build their school community.
Unfortunately, Utah’s progress on this front has been curtailed. After the Legislature’s passage of the “Equal Opportunity Initiatives” bill, Utah’s ability to implement diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs in education has been severely restricted. School districts and university teacher preparation programs cannot address the need of diversifying our teacher workforce. In fact, it’s against the law to do so. This raises critical questions: How can we support all students without programs that acknowledge and embrace diversity?
In 2025, Utah has an opportunity to continue addressing this gap and work towards building an education system that truly reflects the vibrant diversity of its classrooms. Teacher recruitment scholarships, such as the Salt Lake Education Foundation’s Teacher Recruitment Scholarship and the T.H. Bell Education Scholarship, provide financial support to prospective teachers from underrepresented backgrounds. University partnerships and the CTE Career Pathway in Education and Training are helping to open opportunities for entering the teaching profession.
The upcoming legislative session presents critical opportunities for Utah to advocate for diversifying its teacher workforce. It is imperative that the Grow Your Own program is refunded to provide scholarships to paraprofessionals, who more often reflect the communities they serve, seeking teacher certification. Another proposed bill from the Education Interim Committee would provide emergency funds to schools with a 50% increase in multilingual learners. Districts could use these funds to provide teachers with affordable English as a Second Language (ESL) endorsement classes and hire additional bilingual teachers and paraprofessionals. Schools and districts must also prioritize retention by actively building environments where educators of color feel supported and valued as leaders.
A few weeks ago, a former student proudly sent me her passing test scores for her Early Childhood Teacher Certification. This moment was a reminder that the future of Utah’s teaching workforce is already sitting in our classrooms. I encourage my students to see themselves as teachers — in their homes, in class and as ambassadors in their community.
When I think about Utah’s breathtaking landscapes, I feel inspired and connected. Our classrooms do the same. By creating spaces where all students see themselves represented — both in the curriculum and in their teachers — we strengthen and unify our schools, our communities and our state.
In 2025, Utah can show that diversity is a strength and commit to ensuring that every child sees their potential reflected in their teachers. As Utah’s landscapes inspire adventure, its classrooms inspire action to prioritize diversity. The beauty of both is why I love Utah.
(Sayre Posey) Sayre Posey is an 8th Grade U.S. History Teacher at Northwest Middle School in Salt Lake City. She is also Utah's 2025 Teacher of the Year.
Sayre Posey is an 8th grade U.S. history teacher at Northwest Middle School in Salt Lake City. She is also Utah’s 2025 Teacher of the Year.
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