those with a master’s degree. (5) Grant programs can eliminate or reduce the need to borrow student loans in order to afford a college education. This is important because a college student’s potential debt burden influences the student’s decisions about what profession to enter, with the result that the student is less likely to pursue a career in education or take other low-paying jobs after graduation if the student expects to incur more debt. This is especially true for students of color, who, according to a recent report, are more likely to come from families that are unable to contribute financially to their higher education. (6) Students with disabilities, including students of color with disabilities, are also likely to accrue significant student loan debt. This often results from limited ability to work while in school due to the increased time needed for coursework. (7) Teachers of color face unique barriers to entering and staying in the profession. For example, teachers of color are more likely to enter teaching through alternative pathways due to the high cost of traditional teacher preparation programs and the debt burden faced by college students of color. Lower quality pathways can result in less effective teaching and high turnover rates. Research shows that candidates who receive comprehensive preparation are 2 to 3 times more likely to stay in teaching than those who receive little training. In many cases, however, teachers of color are more likely to begin teaching without having completed comprehensive preparation and entering instead through alternative routes that often skip student teaching and key coursework, leaving teachers to learn on the job. (8) Research shows that recruiting and retaining a diverse teacher workforce is key to improving outcomes for all students and for closing achievement gaps. While White students also benefit by learning from teachers of color, the impact is especially significant for students of color, who have higher test scores, are more likely to graduate