The Connecticut Department of Education has formed a partnership with a nonprofit group called TEACH.org to recruit more teachers of color.

TEACH.org will launch an advertising campaign and a website to attract teaching candidates.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who is backing the initiative, said in a written statement, “Our education system is stronger when our teacher workforce is as diverse as the communities they serve, and the launch of TEACH Connecticut will only strengthen our schools.”

Only 8.7 percent of the state’s educators or persons of color, while about 45 percent of students in the state are minorities.

TEACH.org, launched by Microsoft and the U.S. Department of Education, is backed by teacher associations across the country.