Cultivating Talent Report
Cultivating Talent: A Summary of Findings from the National Study
Examining Pathways to Increase the Presence of Hispanic Teachers
and Leaders in Catholic Schools
With 29.1 million Hispanic Catholics in the United States (who represent 42% of the nearly 70 million Catholics in the nation), it is evident that the future of Catholicism and the Catholic schools that serve the Church will be significantly defined by Hispanics.
In response to the present need to ensure equitable access, representation, and educational outcomes for Hispanic students, families, and educators, our research team at Boston College, led by Dr. Hosffman Ospino of the School of Theology and Ministry and Dr. Melodie Wyttenbach of the Roche Center for Catholic Education, conducted a comprehensive study of Hispanic leaders and teachers in Catholic schools in the United States. Cultivating Talent: Hispanic Educators in Catholic Schools details the context, framework, process, findings, and results of this groundbreaking overview of an important sector of the Catholic education workforce.
Cultivating Talent Summit — October 2-4, 2022
As stated in the release of the report in Winter 2022, we commit to launching, supporting, and joining conversations — local, regional and national — to explore the implications of its findings.
Our first major initiative was the National Summit on Hispanic Teachers and Leaders in Catholic Schools, hosted at Boston College on October 2-4, 2022.
This summit brought together various stakeholders in the world of Catholic education to review and discuss the results and analysis of the national study. Together we envisioned strategies to support Hispanic teachers and leaders, as well as the Catholic schools where these educators serve.
Methodology
Over the course of a year, our research team compiled comprehensive survey data from a nationally representative sample of Hispanic Catholic school educators and conducted interviews and focus groups with teachers and leaders in all six regions of Catholic schools, as identified by the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA).
Approach
Our research on Hispanic Catholic school educators in the United States focused on four frames of understanding:
the personal discernment shaping how Hispanics choose to enter into serving in Catholic schools
their experiences of discernment and support within Catholic schools
the pathways that lead Hispanics to serve within Catholic schools
how Hispanic educators use their unique positions within Catholic schools to serve the greater Church, the community, and the larger society
Findings
The report shares essential findings on the following:
Profiles of Hispanic Catholic school teachers and leaders, including their motivations, experiences serving within Catholic schools, and the development of their professional identity
Descriptive analysis of the pathways leading Hispanics into Catholic schools
An overview of the current landscape of support, formation, and ongoing discernment available to Hispanic Catholic educators
Bright spots and areas of growth for cultivating Hispanic talent in Catholic schools
9%
Approximately 9% of Catholic school educators are Hispanic while nearly
1 in 5 Catholic school students in the US are Hispanic
“While there are many cultural communities that are part of the US Catholic body, Hispanics constitute one of the largest groups, defining and redefining the Catholic experience in this country. The national research study grounding this report has allowed us to get a glimpse of what Hispanic teachers and leaders bring to Catholic schools, giving us hope.”
