The role of race in schooling and the education system has been studied extensively but with minimal attention to the intricacies of the experiences of multiracial students. In this chapter, we help fill that gap through: (1) an overview of existing research on this topic; (2) a discussion of the influence of national trends in education on the curriculum and the experiences of multiracial students; and (3) providing specific suggestions for policymakers and teachers on how to create optimal learning environments in schools that are more inclusive of and welcoming toward multiracial students.

The field of multicultural education, which developed after the Civil Rights movement in the 1970s, began with a focus on changing education policies to provide fair and equal opportunities to all children in recently desegregated schools. Education researchers and advocates for equity demanded an inclusive curriculum rooted in affirming diversity within schools. Hence, a large focus in the early stages of multicultural education was on ethnic studies. Equal educational opportunities were sought largely for African-American students, with some attention offered to Latino students. Multiracial students were not on the radar as a separate group.

As the field grew and evolved, scholars and researchers extended the focus to equity issues among a broader spectrum of oppressions, including language, gender, sexual orientation, ability, and social class (Grant, 2014). Important strides were made in schools as well as in the preparation of teachers to teach diverse students. Multicultural training began to be part of teacher education programs.

Although all state certification boards in the US address diversity in their standards, the specific requirements vary and are ambiguous (Akiba et al, 2010). In a few states, Georgia for example, the Board of Regents stipulated that all teacher certification programs had to include a cultural foundations course. More recently, since 2007, as a prerequisite for admission into a teacher certification program in the university system of Georgia, students have been required to take three courses that address critical issues and social, cultural, political, and psychological perspectives on diversity, teaching, and learning in order to ensure that teachers have a clear understanding of the larger context of education.