This paper discusses the preliminary findings of an ongoing study, part of a larger research project on Diverse Teachers for Diverse Learners. The key research question in the study is: How does democratic participation and involvement of teachers represent itself in Icelandic compulsory schools and preschools? The theoretical framework includes critical perspectives in education, emphasizing that individuals in multicultural societies must be empowered to participate (Parekh, 2006) and that in educational settings teachers should respect and build on the experiences and knowledge of each student (Nieto, 1999). According to research, one of the challenges in education today is the mismatch between the ethnic diversity of student populations and the ethnic diversity of the teaching force (Ladson-Billings, 2001; Lumby & Coleman, 2007; Schmidt and Block, 2010), resulting in lack of understanding and respect for the varied experiences of diverse students (Ragnarsdóttir, 2008). Data is collected in three preschools and three compulsory schools. Methods include questionnaires to all teachers in the six schools, focus group sessions with teachers and individual interviews with leaders in the six schools. The findings are expected to establish the level of participation, access to decision-making and other influences of diverse teachers in diverse school settings in Iceland.