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The U.S. Department of Education this week released new data showing that in school districts across the country, teachers at schools with more Latino and African American enrollment are paid an average of $2,500 less than teachers in the school district as a whole.

"America has been battling inequity in education for decades but these data show that we cannot let up," U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said in a statement. "Children who need the most too often get the least. It's a civil rights issue, an economic issue and a moral issue."

According to the Department of Education, because teacher salaries comprise the bulk of school districts' budgets, they serve as a key indicator of how those districts allocate resources.

In 59 percent of diverse districts (those with greater than 20 percent and less than 80 percent Latino and African American enrollment), the Department found, teachers in schools serving more Latino and African American students are being paid significantly less than teachers in schools with fewer minority students.

"The future of American democracy and economic vitality requires a well educated citizenry," Rep. Chaka Fattah said in a statement. "This report shows that we're shooting ourselves in the foot by laying such an unlevel foundation. I urge my Congressional colleagues and those in State legislatures to see this new report as a call to arms. Our system simply is not working for far too many of our students."

The findings are drawn from a survey of almost 7,000 school districts in the 2009-2010 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC). The 2009-2010 CRDC was the first to collect data on school-level expenditures and teacher salaries, with the aim of examining how resources are distributed within and between school districts. The analysis of teacher pay comes from results reported from 2,217 diverse districts.

"To repair our education system requires that we be able to identify where problems exist," Russlynn Ali, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, said in a statement. "Collecting these data and making them widely accessible is a powerful way to make the case for action."

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