This digest consolidates recent, key information on minority representation in the teaching profession. Despite widespread efforts to recruit minority teachers, by 1983 the total had decreased 1.5% (down to 11% since 1973). Therefore, many students will go through their entire school career with no minority teachers, no role models, and no sense that teaching is a profession for minorities. Some reasons for this decrease are: (1) increased possibilities for minorities to make more money and win greater prestige in other professions; (2) decrease in minority recruitment and enrollment in colleges; (3) dissatisfaction with the teaching profession; (4) a popular misconception that there is a teacher surplus; and (5) state testing in which minority teachers have low passing rates. Other problems with minority teacher employment include the desegregation efforts which have given many more white teachers jobs which black teachers would otherwise have held; seniority and tenure provisions that have kept white teachers in jobs; and government moves toward incentive grants and tax incentives that diminish programs traditionally employing minority teachers. Some suggestions on how to increase minority participation in the teaching profession are included. (CG)