education equity essay

Equality or Equity?

• Posted December 2, 2022
• By Jill Anderson
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Inequality and Education Gaps
• K-12 School Leadership
• Moral, Civic, and Ethical Education

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Longtime educator Jeffrey Duncan-Andrade thinks schools have been focused on equality for too long and need to fundamentally rethink the way they do things. He says a focus on equality is not producing the results that schools really need — providing all students with a quality education. While visiting schools many years ago, he noticed educators used the terms "equality" and "equity" interchangeably. Then, he started tracking what that actually means. The data clearly demonstrates that aiming for equality doesn't work. What would schools look like if they were, instead, truly equitable places?

In this episode of the Harvard EdCast, Duncan-Andrade reimagines what education could look like in America if we dared to break free of the system that constrains it. 

Jill Anderson:  I'm Jill Anderson. This is The Harvard EdCast. Long time educator, Jeff Duncan-Andrade, was working with schools when he noticed people using the words equality and equity interchangeably. Those words don't mean the same thing. Everybody's talking about equity without really taking the time to understand what it means, he says. And even worse, he says American schools have been more focused on equality for decades, and data shows it's not working. He's calling for a fundamental rethink of education nationwide with a real focus on equity. I wondered what that means, and what that might even look like. But I wanted Jeff to first tell us a bit more about the difference between equality and equity.

Jill Anderson: What is the difference between equity and equality? Because it seems like a lot of us are confused.

Jeffrey Duncan-Andrade: Well, so the way that I talk about equity is that I use my own home. I have twin boys that are nine years old. On virtually every measure, they're as equal is two children can be. Right? And yet, one of them when he was much younger was constantly thirsty, and the other one was constantly hungry. If I give both of them a bottle of water, is that equal? The immediate reaction of some people is to shake their head no. Then I ask the person, I say, "Why do you say it's not equal?" And then they say, "Well, because you're not giving [inaudible 00:02:35], your son who's always hungry, what he needs." And I say, "Yeah, but that's not the question I'm asking you. I'm asking you if it's equal." And then they kind of course correct. And they're like, "Well, yeah, it's equal, but it's not fair." 

What I follow up with there is to say, "Yeah. You're right." But if you look at the definition of equality, there's nothing in there about fairness. It's presumed. The problem is we're attempting to have an equal education system in the most radically unequal industrialized nation in the history of the world. So to design an equal education system is both to ignore present and historical data and real material conditions, and it basically virtually guarantees that the social reproduction of those same inequalities. And we're not even doing equal schools.

Equity, on the other hand, is about fairness. And so the definition of equity that I use is that in an equitable system, you get what you need when you need it. This requires schools to first really assess: What do the children and the families in the community that we serve actually need? So you can't carbon copy. You can't just say, "Well, this worked over here in this community, and they have a really similar demographic profile, so we'll just copy this over." You can't McDonald-ize it. Right? And that requires, one, a lot of institutional dexterity, which schools really don't have right now. It requires dexterity around resource allocation. And it requires a very different kind of questioning and wondering and thinking and teacher support and teacher development, which schools really don't have right now.

And that's why I said that if we were going to really pursue an equitable education system, it requires us to make a hard pivot. And I think the hard pivot begins first with the purpose question, which I don't hear us asking in this country. And the purpose question is: For what? Why do we take children by law from their families for 13 consecutive years, for seven hours a day? Why are we doing that? And because we don't reexamine the why, the purpose, then what we end up doing is effectively putting lipstick on the pig. Public schools are presumed good in this society. I want us to challenge that.

Jill Anderson: I was looking around and I read an interview with you from many years ago where you said, and I'm quoting, "We lack the public will to transform our public schools."

Jeffrey Duncan-Andrade: I do think we lack the public will, and it's particularly disconcerting to me right now because I felt like coming back from the pandemic that we had a real opportunity. I felt like the potential for the will was there. People were really willing to rethink a lot of stuff. And what happened was that window has largely closed and what happened was that schools really went back to business as usual, even though they were saying, "We can't go back to business as usual." If you go to schools today, they look exactly like they did before the pandemic, excepting that you'll see more masks, you'll see more hand sanitizer, and you'll see occasional group testing for COVID. That's it. Everything else looks literally identical, the design of the school day, the curriculum, the set up off the classrooms, totally blew the opportunity to do a fundamental rethink.

In order to do a real rethink, you have to have resources. And I think that one of the things that gets in our way is that people don't really know what happens in schools. And so their kid gets dropped off, they come home. How was your day? It was good. Continue on. Right? And so we really want to re-jigger this whole thing. So I think that, one, we have to raise the national consciousness about what is actually happening in schools, and raise the national consciousness and awareness about the fact that, one, schools are really not good for kids the way we've designed them. Our children are not well. I'm not talking about just vulnerable and wounded kids, poor and working class kids, kids of color. I'm talking about the national data set on youth wellness is deeply, deeply troubling. And it's reflected in our larger public health data outcome.

I mean, we are the least well of any of the industrialized nations, and it's not even close. And yet, we spend by some estimates 100 X as much on healthcare as the next closest industrialized nation, which actually makes some sense because: When do you need healthcare? When you're sick. We have a national crisis, public health crisis, that public health officials have been banging the drum about for quite a while. And it can be directly connected to the way in which we organize our school day, and the experiences of our children over those 13 years. You can only ride this ride for so long before slamming on your brakes doesn't prevent you from careening off the edge of the cliff. And if you really look at the data, and I'm talking about our economic data, I'm talking about our health data, I'm talking about our broader social data, it's really, really troubling. We're in trouble.

This sits right up there with the climate crisis. If we correct the climate and the ozone layer, that doesn't mean we're going to be well. So I think that we have to raise the national awareness and consciousness about the place we're in as a society. And then we have to follow that by saying that it doesn't have to be this way. This is a choice that we can make, and the good thing that may be different than the climate crisis is that we could literally course correct this in one generation. If you had a generation of children that experienced in the public school system for all those 13 years and all those hours, a singular focus on wellness, to me, that is the purpose of public schools in a pluralistic multiracial democracy, is a promise to every family that when you give us your child, when you come back at the end of the day, they will be more well for having spent time with us than when you dropped them off. That's it.

So you can teach reading, you can teach writing, you can teach math, you can teach science, you can do sports, you can do art, you can do dance, you can do all of those things. But the question is: For what? If it's the model that we've designed, which is to maintain social inequality without social unrest, and to create pathways into employment, then carry on. If the goal is a pluralistic multiracial democracy that is more equal and more equitable, then we have to rethink the role of public schools in growing a generation of young people that know that is the agenda of our society.

Jill Anderson: Do you think that the intent was never really to make anything better? Is it just a Band-Aid? 

Jeffrey Duncan-Andrade: We have an allergy in this country to truth telling. And I think without real truth telling, then the consciousness won't emerge. And I think that there's a fear in the broader society that: If we change schools, if we really do what you're saying, Jeff, if we really change schools, what if it's worse? Better the devil you know, right? Again, this goes back to people don't really know what happens in schools. The fear is I don't want to experiment on kids. Right? And what people don't process in that statement is we're already experimenting on kids. And we have an incredible amount of data on how that experiment is going, and it is failing, flat out. 

And it's not that things have been slow to change. Things are worse. We're headed in the wrong direction. The wealth gap in this society is far and away the biggest it's ever been. Health outcomes, wellness is far and away the worst it's ever been. The forms of inequality that we can track, even economists are freaking out. They are really concerned. So for me, the question is one: Why aren't people putting that picture together? Why aren't more leaders talking about that? I'm an imminently hopeful dude. I firmly believe we're going to figure this out. But I don't think that you can really close your eyes and pray your way out of this. I was looking for what's the kind of big, global gold standard data set for looking at this in nations, and what I stumbled upon is called the World Peace Index. 

That is the global gold standard for measuring peace, democracy, economic stability and sustainability in 99.8 of the world's population. So I figured when I started looking at this in 2015, and this is used by the United Nations, UNESCO, by the World Health ... I mean, this is a widely accepted kind of mega index to look at how our nation's doing. And when I first looked at it, I figured we're top 20, some of the Nordic countries will probably outpace us. But in 2015, I think we were 94th.

Jill Anderson: Wow.

Jeffrey Duncan-Andrade:  And my jaw dropped. I was like, "Whoa." Right? And then I kept tracking it every year, and every year since 2015, we have dropped and dropped and dropped. The '22 index just came out, and I think now we're 122nd in the world. That is such an indictment of the maintenance model that we're hanging onto, the devil that we know. And we're in a free fall. And I think schools are ... If we're going to do a fundamental rethink about schools, we have to really have a coming to truth, as South Africa did. We have to have a truth and reconciliation conversation about: Where are we? How did we get here? What sets of decisions did we make to get here? And then how are we going to course correct? Right? How are we going to raise a generation of young people that experience truth telling about what this society is? And then let's create school systems that are really developing young people that are problem solvers, whether it's for cancer, whether it's for the climate crisis, and schools are not that.

Schools are about compliance, internalize, regurgitate, repeat. That model at some level made some sense when we first started schools because schools were designed to create functional workers for factories. We're not that anymore. And I think that's why so many young people find school completely inane and obsolete.

Jill Anderson: Are there any schools that you would say are equitable today, are practicing that kind of model? 

Jeffrey Duncan-Andrade: Whole schools, none that I've seen. I think some are more committed to it than others. There is incredible research and examples of spaces and places where it's happening inside of schools, so individual classrooms, or individual programs. But tip to finish, edge to edge, top to bottom, I have not seen it in a US school. That doesn't mean it doesn't exist. But I think that is one of the questions that we have to solve for. There has to be a major influx of resources to begin to create the space for schools to innovate, to begin to figure out. How do we stop moving deck chairs around on a Titanic and calling it different? And how do we start really thinking about remaking the ship? And schools are not given the runway or the resources to be innovative.

You saw that coming out of the pandemic. All these superintendents were like, "Yeah. You're giving me this crisis money right now, but I can't build anything long-term with this because you're going to take it away. And then I'm going to have to cut that, and the damage that does both to staffing and to the climate and culture of a community is bad." I'm immediately adjacent to Silicon Valley. And I've had the privilege of spending quite a bit of time with some of the leaders of some of the largest companies there. And to a person, when I'm in those conversations with them, one of the things that they have all said to me at some point or another is that one of our most valuable commodities as a corporation is failure. And I was like, "Huh?" 

And then I started thinking about how in education. We duck, dodge, and deny failure like it is the worst thing ever. And the more I explored that with them, the more I understood just how different the consciousness, the climate, and the culture has to be for a space to be innovative, the goal isn't to fail, but the known is if we're going to push the envelope, if we're going to innovate, if we're going to try and really do things that are cutting edge and different, we're going to fail, and we're going to fail a lot. And the key is not that you start worrying about failure, but that you build an infrastructure around the failure, so that you're learning and you're growing.

What schools try to do is they try to do mega change, so the whole school's going to do X, Y, or Z. The whole district's going to do X, Y, or Z. And that consistently falls flat on its face because one, that's not how you do institutional change. The only way that you pull that off is with power. You just force people. But no one actually changes, they just comply. But if you want to change, you have to start with smaller units. You have to have good R and D. And you have to innovate and tweak constantly. You can't wait for a semester to get test scores back and decide if your literacy program needs improvement. You can't wait for a year. There's a whole lot of spaces and places that we could be learning from in education about how to make this move in a way that is actually creating transformation and change that's healthy, that's good for kids, that's good for teachers, that's good for families. 

Jill Anderson: So in an equitable school model, do you think that it's just every school, every classroom, will really look different?

Jeffrey Duncan-Andrade: I think it depends on how you operationalize the term different. Every classroom you go into right now looks different. Whether you want to admit it or not, it is a different teacher, a different group of kids. So there's a way in which there's a cold comfort in the kind of fast food approach to schools, which is I'm going to go in and I'm going to see a teacher in front of the room, and I'm going to see desks organized. I'm going to see kids seated and calm. And I'm going to see important stuff on the walls, and kids are going to be raising their hand. And I think that we have to let go of that. The classrooms that I know where real learning is happening are on fire. And people are like, "Whoa, this is chaos."

But when you look at what actually comes out of that classroom, it's super investment. Kids are super excited. The teacher's super excited. And lots and lots of learning is happening. So part of the national consciousness has to change in giving people live look ins to: What are we actually talking about here? What should we expect to see when we walk in classrooms? What that looks like day to day and room A to room B, it needs to look a little bit different based on who's in there and what they're doing in the particular moment. 

What I think shouldn't be different is the core values. So pedagogically, you're going to see some difference. Curriculum, you're going to see some difference. Interactions, you're going to see some difference. But when you kind of zoom out a little bit and you look at what are the core values that are happening right here, no, we've actually known this again for 40 years from the research. The most effective teachers across four decades of research pretty much do the same things. And no matter what the political climate of the day is, or what the sexy curriculum or assessment is, they are doing pretty much the same things. What we've been calling the kind of new three Rs, but they're not new, they're the old three Rs, that is widely supported by the research not just in education, but across all those fields about what actually creates wellbeing and investment from children.

First and foremost, it's relationships. Right? So if you walked into classroom A or classroom B, what you would see is deep, caring relationships between the adult and the children, and between the children and the children. The second thing is relevance. You walk into the space and you would see kids on fire about learning because they actually care about what they're learning. Right? It's relevant to their life. It's relevant to their history. It's relevant to their language. It's relevant to their community. If you went space to space, that might look a little different because what's relevant to group A might be a little different than what's relevant to group B. But you could still hit all the state and national standards with a modified curriculum.

And then the third thing is the space would reflect responsibility, a responsibility to themselves, a responsibility to the school, a responsibility to the community, a responsibility to the nation, a responsibility to the world. Part of that responsibility would be that if a child is wounded, that we don't punt. We don't send them away. We don't make them somebody else's problem. The classroom community would be responding and understanding that is education. Learning your responsibility to your brother or your sister that's sitting next to you, and saying that we can teach all the standards we need to teach with a focus on wellness and care. That's not going to stop you from reading.

In fact, that's actually going to increase reading. But what happens right now is because we're trying to develop, we're trying to sanitize classrooms, so it's like, "Don't bring any of that in here." What you end up, people think they want to see is they want to see flat compliance. Nobody is hurting. Nobody is sad. Nobody is laughing out loud. None of the human emotions are allowed in the classroom. We don't even let kids talk to each other. That's seen as disruption.

Jill Anderson: If we have some educators listening, what can they actually do? 

Jeffrey Duncan-Andrade: Start a pilot. Start a pilot project, one classroom. You're a parent, just figure out. How can that classroom where your child is going to school every day be more equitable? My sons are in fourth grade. Oftentimes when I go in, I'm not particularly focused on them because I know where they're at. I'm looking at some of the other kids that are sitting next to them that I know based on my conversations with them, and based on my time being invested in the kids that are moving along the grades with them, I know the kids that need a breakfast bar. And so I'm coming with that to begin to develop a relationship with them around: How do I start getting you loving reading as much as my sons love reading?

People will be surprised at how micro investments can create institutional cultural transformation because if you really think about it, if you change one kid's experience on one day, you've changed the institution. Schools have become consumed wrongly with not only big data, but the wrong big data. And that then leads us to think about change at the wrong scale. For a teacher, or for a school leader, seriously, just start a pilot project, one unit, one classroom, one group of teachers that say, "Hey, we really want to do something fundamentally different." And give them the runway and the bandwidth to innovate and learn with the expectation, this is the expectation that I always have when I go in and work with schools, is that we're going to start with the coalition of the willing. So if you're not down for this right now, it's cool. Right? 

But if you are, then we're going to invest and work with you, that small group. But the expectation is that you become a teacher of teachers. So you're not going to get all this runway to be really innovative and then you're off and running and goodbye. There's going to be a phase two, and I often work in three year phases because that's about how much time it takes for you to really start seeing cultural transformation. It doesn't happen overnight, it takes a real investment of time and energy. And then at the end of that phase one, that third year, then those teachers that I work with, they go get five more teachers. And that becomes meta project two, where now each of those five teachers that did the innovative process for the first three years, they now have satellite groups. And it's something about when a parent invites a parent, or a kid invites a kid, or a teacher invites a teacher, that warrants a very different entry point. Right?

And I think that's back to our earlier commentary about: How do we build the will? I think part of the way you build the way is the way you do the ask. And if it comes from power, the relationship to power in schools has historically been a negative one, so even when good ideas get shoved down from power, the idea wasn't bad, the implementation approach was flawed. Part of what we need to rethink, or part of what I would encourage the audience to rethink is the way in which you approach innovation and just the invitation to doing it, and a commitment to learning, an arc of growth, and understanding that at the end of year one, at the end of year two, at the end of year three, at the end of year 30, it's still going to be messy. But what we have got to change in our consciousness is this desire to sanitize the classroom, and embracing that meaningful education is messy. The meaning is in the mess. And if you resent the mess, you will miss the meaning. 

Jill Anderson: Thank you so much, Jeff. Lots and lots of stuff to think about from this conversation today.

Jeffrey Duncan-Andrade: Thank you for making some time to allow me to run my mouth. 

Jill Anderson: Jeff Duncan-Andrade is a professor of Latina and Latino studies and race and resistance studies at the San Francisco State University. He's the author of Equality or Equity: Toward a Model of Community-Responsive Education . I'm Jill Anderson. This is The Harvard EdCast, produced by the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Thanks for listening. 

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Recognizing and Overcoming Inequity in Education

About the author, sylvia schmelkes.

Sylvia Schmelkes is Provost of the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City.

22 January 2020 Introduction

I nequity is perhaps the most serious problem in education worldwide. It has multiple causes, and its consequences include differences in access to schooling, retention and, more importantly, learning. Globally, these differences correlate with the level of development of various countries and regions. In individual States, access to school is tied to, among other things, students' overall well-being, their social origins and cultural backgrounds, the language their families speak, whether or not they work outside of the home and, in some countries, their sex. Although the world has made progress in both absolute and relative numbers of enrolled students, the differences between the richest and the poorest, as well as those living in rural and urban areas, have not diminished. 1

These correlations do not occur naturally. They are the result of the lack of policies that consider equity in education as a principal vehicle for achieving more just societies. The pandemic has exacerbated these differences mainly due to the fact that technology, which is the means of access to distance schooling, presents one more layer of inequality, among many others.

The dimension of educational inequity

Around the world, 258 million, or 17 per cent of the world’s children, adolescents and youth, are out of school. The proportion is much larger in developing countries: 31 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa and 21 per cent in Central Asia, vs. 3 per cent in Europe and North America. 2  Learning, which is the purpose of schooling, fares even worse. For example, it would take 15-year-old Brazilian students 75 years, at their current rate of improvement, to reach wealthier countries’ average scores in math, and more than 260 years in reading. 3 Within countries, learning results, as measured through standardized tests, are almost always much lower for those living in poverty. In Mexico, for example, 80 per cent of indigenous children at the end of primary school don’t achieve basic levels in reading and math, scoring far below the average for primary school students. 4

The causes of educational inequity

There are many explanations for educational inequity. In my view, the most important ones are the following:

• Equity and equality are not the same thing. Equality means providing the same resources to everyone. Equity signifies giving more to those most in need. Countries with greater inequity in education results are also those in which governments distribute resources according to the political pressure they experience in providing education. Such pressures come from families in which the parents attended school, that reside in urban areas, belong to cultural majorities and who have a clear appreciation of the benefits of education. Much less pressure comes from rural areas and indigenous populations, or from impoverished urban areas. In these countries, fewer resources, including infrastructure, equipment, teachers, supervision and funding, are allocated to the disadvantaged, the poor and cultural minorities.
• Teachers are key agents for learning. Their training is crucial.  When insufficient priority is given to either initial or in-service teacher training, or to both, one can expect learning deficits. Teachers in poorer areas tend to have less training and to receive less in-service support.
• Most countries are very diverse. When a curriculum is overloaded and is the same for everyone, some students, generally those from rural areas, cultural minorities or living in poverty find little meaning in what is taught. When the language of instruction is different from their native tongue, students learn much less and drop out of school earlier.
• Disadvantaged students frequently encounter unfriendly or overtly offensive attitudes from both teachers and classmates. Such attitudes are derived from prejudices, stereotypes, outright racism and sexism. Students in hostile environments are affected in their disposition to learn, and many drop out early.

It doesn’t have to be like this

When left to inertial decision-making, education systems seem to be doomed to reproduce social and economic inequity. The commitment of both governments and societies to equity in education is both necessary and possible. There are several examples of more equitable educational systems in the world, and there are many subnational examples of successful policies fostering equity in education.

Why is equity in education important?

Education is a basic human right. More than that, it is an enabling right in the sense that, when respected, allows for the fulfillment of other human rights. Education has proven to affect general well-being, productivity, social capital, responsible citizenship and sustainable behaviour. Its equitable distribution allows for the creation of permeable societies and equity. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development includes Sustainable Development Goal 4, which aims to ensure “inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”. One hundred eighty-four countries are committed to achieving this goal over the next decade. 5  The process of walking this road together has begun and requires impetus to continue, especially now that we must face the devastating consequences of a long-lasting pandemic. Further progress is crucial for humanity.

Notes  1 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization , Inclusive Education. All Means All , Global Education Monitoring Report 2020 (Paris, 2020), p.8. Available at https://en.unesco.org/gem-report/report/2020/inclusion . 2 Ibid., p. 4, 7. 3 World Bank Group, World Development Report 2018: Learning to Realize Education's Promise (Washington, DC, 2018), p. 3. Available at https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/wdr2018 .  4 Instituto Nacional para la Evaluación de la Educación, "La educación obligatoria en México", Informe 2018 (Ciudad de México, 2018), p. 72. Available online at https://www.inee.edu.mx/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/P1I243.pdf . 5 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization , “Incheon Declaration and Framework for Action for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 4” (2015), p. 23. Available at  https://iite.unesco.org/publications/education-2030-incheon-declaration-framework-action-towards-inclusive-equitable-quality-education-lifelong-learning/   The UN Chronicle  is not an official record. It is privileged to host senior United Nations officials as well as distinguished contributors from outside the United Nations system whose views are not necessarily those of the United Nations. Similarly, the boundaries and names shown, and the designations used, in maps or articles do not necessarily imply endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.   

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Equity In Education Essay

A few decades ago, the society, particularly in developing countries, did not see the need of educating the girl child. This is because she was expected to become a mother someday, which in itself is a very demanding task because she has to take care of the children and run a few errands on behalf of her husband.

In fact, most families did not send their daughters to school because they felt that it was not necessary. This suggests that education was reserved for boys. Essentially, Bowles and Gintis argue that in the US, women started working during the civil war because their men had been deployed to the battlefields (14).

There were many challenges that were facing the girl child with regard to education. First most girls could not go through the education system because some would get pregnant, which left them with no alternative, but to quit school. In addition, some girls would be married off at an early age, especially in developing countries.

Girls were therefore perceived to be weak even though their male counterparts were responsible for their suffering. This is because the boys who impregnated them were allowed to continue learning. Similarly, most communities do not send their daughters to school because they assume a vacuum will be created in their households.

However, according to Nussbaum, women were more enlightened towards the end of 19 th century by the many non-governmental organizations that had been established to fight for the rights of the girl child (19). On the other hand, the education of the boy child has been ignored since everyone is concentrating on the girl child.

In general, there is still a gap to be filled, and this can only be achieved by giving both sexes equal opportunities. The opportunities of women are reserved as opposed to those of men. Most organizations are reserving a good number of their job openings for women and thus, men continue to suffer in silence because they are not supposed to show any signs of weakness.

Statistics from US learning institutions indicate that the rate of female enrollment is much higher than that of men. From early days, boys have been made to believe that they do not have to work hard or even go to school because they are their parent’s heirs.

Alternatively, Matus and Winchester point out that the aggressiveness of the girl child has made her to pursue further education because that is the surest way of liberating herself. Additionally, the global population of men is much lower than that of women, considering that they are the ones who are affected by child mortality.

Moreover, the cost of sending a child to school is still high, especially during these difficult economic times. In most developing countries, there are numerous non-governmental organizations striving to empower women. This is done by issuing monetary handouts to the girls’ parents; there is no one who is concerned about the welfare of the boy child.

This is unfair competition because the ground should be leveled for both sexes. The boy child is facing the same challenges that are being faced by the girl child. For instance, in early days, only women suffered from sexual abuse, but nowadays the boy child is being faced by the same challenge. The role of men in the society has changed from being the providers to caregivers. This has been brought about by depreciation of our values.

Gone are the days when women used to depend on men for their upkeep. This change of culture has been brought about by economic factors. In today’s world, a man’s salary is not enough to support a family, and that is why the two sexes need to be empowered equally. The solution to gender inequality should start right from the school. In most schools, there are more male teachers, and thus the female learners are not well represented. Furthermore, the female teachers concentrate more on the boys.

In this light, several approaches that can be employed to achieve gender equality in education. The learning curriculums should be revised to favor both sexes. Currently, there is a general perception that engineering and technical courses are not meant for girls. Comprehensive review of these courses will result in a balanced enrollment rate. Thus, no courses will be reserved for any sex, as long as one has the skills and the ability to deliver the desired results (Williams 1).

Learning institutions should hire more female educators to bridge the male-female gap. Female teachers will act as role models for the girls who have for a long time been demoralized. The balance should be realized right from the time teachers are being recruited into the training colleges.

This will ensure that the same balance is observed when the same educators are being deployed to their respective learning centers. The school infrastructures of most learning centers in developing countries are in a sorry state such that both sexes are not content. For instance, if the toilets do not have doors the girls would not feel comfortable while using them owing to their gender orientation. This suggests that more funding should be designated for improving the infrastructure of such centers.

Moreover, support programs should be offered to both sexes so that the boys are not under pressure to quit school. This means that there should be a gender balance in bursary allocations. Additionally, the teams that are in charge of education systems should be comprised of both men and women. This will make it possible for every group to safeguard its interests. Civil society groups should also be called upon to help in eliminating cultural issues.

Works Cited

Bowles, Samuel and Herbert Gintis. “Schooling in Capitalist America Revisited.” Sociology of Education 75.1 (2002): 1-18. Print.

Matus, Ron and Donna Winchester. ”Women Outpace Men in Education.” St Petersburg Times . 2008. Web.

Nussbaum, Martha C. Women and Human Development , Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000. Print.

Williams, Alex. ” New Math on Campus . ” New York Times . 2010. Web.

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IvyPanda. (2023, December 20). Equity In Education. https://ivypanda.com/essays/equity-in-education/

"Equity In Education." IvyPanda , 20 Dec. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/equity-in-education/.

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1. IvyPanda . "Equity In Education." December 20, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/equity-in-education/.

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Remote learning turned spotlight on gaps in resources, funding, and tech — but also offered hints on reform

“Unequal” is a multipart series highlighting the work of Harvard faculty, staff, students, alumni, and researchers on issues of race and inequality across the U.S. This part looks at how the pandemic called attention to issues surrounding the racial achievement gap in America.

The pandemic has disrupted education nationwide, turning a spotlight on existing racial and economic disparities, and creating the potential for a lost generation. Even before the outbreak, students in vulnerable communities — particularly predominately Black, Indigenous, and other majority-minority areas — were already facing inequality in everything from resources (ranging from books to counselors) to student-teacher ratios and extracurriculars.

The additional stressors of systemic racism and the trauma induced by poverty and violence, both cited as aggravating health and wellness as at a Weatherhead Institute panel , pose serious obstacles to learning as well. “Before the pandemic, children and families who are marginalized were living under such challenging conditions that it made it difficult for them to get a high-quality education,” said Paul Reville, founder and director of the Education Redesign Lab at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (GSE).

Educators hope that the may triggers a broader conversation about reform and renewed efforts to narrow the longstanding racial achievement gap. They say that research shows virtually all of the nation’s schoolchildren have fallen behind, with students of color having lost the most ground, particularly in math. They also note that the full-time reopening of schools presents opportunities to introduce changes and that some of the lessons from remote learning, particularly in the area of technology, can be put to use to help students catch up from the pandemic as well as to begin to level the playing field.

The disparities laid bare by the COVID-19 outbreak became apparent from the first shutdowns. “The good news, of course, is that many schools were very fast in finding all kinds of ways to try to reach kids,” said Fernando M. Reimers , Ford Foundation Professor of the Practice in International Education and director of GSE’s Global Education Innovation Initiative and International Education Policy Program. He cautioned, however, that “those arrangements don’t begin to compare with what we’re able to do when kids could come to school, and they are particularly deficient at reaching the most vulnerable kids.” In addition, it turned out that many students simply lacked access.

“We’re beginning to understand that technology is a basic right. You cannot participate in society in the 21st century without access to it,” says Fernando Reimers of the Graduate School of Education.

Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard file photo

The rate of limited digital access for households was at 42 percent during last spring’s shutdowns, before drifting down to about 31 percent this fall, suggesting that school districts improved their adaptation to remote learning, according to an analysis by the UCLA Center for Neighborhood Knowledge of U.S. Census data. (Indeed, Education Week and other sources reported that school districts around the nation rushed to hand out millions of laptops, tablets, and Chromebooks in the months after going remote.)

The report also makes clear the degree of racial and economic digital inequality. Black and Hispanic households with school-aged children were 1.3 to 1.4 times as likely as white ones to face limited access to computers and the internet, and more than two in five low-income households had only limited access. It’s a problem that could have far-reaching consequences given that young students of color are much more likely to live in remote-only districts.

“We’re beginning to understand that technology is a basic right,” said Reimers. “You cannot participate in society in the 21st century without access to it.” Too many students, he said, “have no connectivity. They have no devices, or they have no home circumstances that provide them support.”

The issues extend beyond the technology. “There is something wonderful in being in contact with other humans, having a human who tells you, ‘It’s great to see you. How are things going at home?’” Reimers said. “I’ve done 35 case studies of innovative practices around the world. They all prioritize social, emotional well-being. Checking in with the kids. Making sure there is a touchpoint every day between a teacher and a student.”

The difference, said Reville, is apparent when comparing students from different economic circumstances. Students whose parents “could afford to hire a tutor … can compensate,” he said. “Those kids are going to do pretty well at keeping up. Whereas, if you’re in a single-parent family and mom is working two or three jobs to put food on the table, she can’t be home. It’s impossible for her to keep up and keep her kids connected.

“If you lose the connection, you lose the kid.”

“COVID just revealed how serious those inequities are,” said GSE Dean Bridget Long , the Saris Professor of Education and Economics. “It has disproportionately hurt low-income students, students with special needs, and school systems that are under-resourced.”

This disruption carries throughout the education process, from elementary school students (some of whom have simply stopped logging on to their online classes) through declining participation in higher education. Community colleges, for example, have “traditionally been a gateway for low-income students” into the professional classes, said Long, whose research focuses on issues of affordability and access. “COVID has just made all of those issues 10 times worse,” she said. “That’s where enrollment has fallen the most.”

In addition to highlighting such disparities, these losses underline a structural issue in public education. Many schools are under-resourced, and the major reason involves sources of school funding. A 2019 study found that predominantly white districts got $23 billion more than their non-white counterparts serving about the same number of students. The discrepancy is because property taxes are the primary source of funding for schools, and white districts tend to be wealthier than those of color.

The problem of resources extends beyond teachers, aides, equipment, and supplies, as schools have been tasked with an increasing number of responsibilities, from the basics of education to feeding and caring for the mental health of both students and their families.

“You think about schools and academics, but what COVID really made clear was that schools do so much more than that,” said Long. A child’s school, she stressed “is social, emotional support. It’s safety. It’s the food system. It is health care.”

“You think about schools and academics” … but a child’s school “is social, emotional support. It’s safety. It’s the food system. It is health care,” stressed GSE Dean Bridget Long.

Rose Lincoln/Harvard file photo

This safety net has been shredded just as more students need it. “We have 400,000 deaths and those are disproportionately affecting communities of color,” said Long. “So you can imagine the kids that are in those households. Are they able to come to school and learn when they’re dealing with this trauma?”

The damage is felt by the whole families. In an upcoming paper, focusing on parents of children ages 5 to 7, Cindy H. Liu, director of Harvard Medical School’s Developmental Risk and Cultural Disparities Laboratory , looks at the effects of COVID-related stress on parent’ mental health. This stress — from both health risks and grief — “likely has ramifications for those groups who are disadvantaged, particularly in getting support, as it exacerbates existing disparities in obtaining resources,” she said via email. “The unfortunate reality is that the pandemic is limiting the tangible supports [like childcare] that parents might actually need.”

Educators are overwhelmed as well. “Teachers are doing a phenomenal job connecting with students,” Long said about their performance online. “But they’ve lost the whole system — access to counselors, access to additional staff members and support. They’ve lost access to information. One clue is that the reporting of child abuse going down. It’s not that we think that child abuse is actually going down, but because you don’t have a set of adults watching and being with kids, it’s not being reported.”

The repercussions are chilling. “As we resume in-person education on a normal basis, we’re dealing with enormous gaps,” said Reville. “Some kids will come back with such educational deficits that unless their schools have a very well thought-out and effective program to help them catch up, they will never catch up. They may actually drop out of school. The immediate consequences of learning loss and disengagement are going to be a generation of people who will be less educated.”

There is hope, however. Just as the lockdown forced teachers to improvise, accelerating forms of online learning, so too may the recovery offer options for educational reform.

The solutions, say Reville, “are going to come from our community. This is a civic problem.” He applauded one example, the Somerville, Mass., public library program of outdoor Wi-Fi “pop ups,” which allow 24/7 access either through their own or library Chromebooks. “That’s the kind of imagination we need,” he said.

On a national level, he points to the creation of so-called “Children’s Cabinets.” Already in place in 30 states, these nonpartisan groups bring together leaders at the city, town, and state levels to address children’s needs through schools, libraries, and health centers. A July 2019 “ Children’s Cabinet Toolkit ” on the Education Redesign Lab site offers guidance for communities looking to form their own, with sample mission statements from Denver, Minneapolis, and Fairfax, Va.

Already the Education Redesign Lab is working on even more wide-reaching approaches. In Tennessee, for example, the Metro Nashville Public Schools has launched an innovative program, designed to provide each student with a personalized education plan. By pairing these students with school “navigators” — including teachers, librarians, and instructional coaches — the program aims to address each student’s particular needs.

“This is a chance to change the system,” said Reville. “By and large, our school systems are organized around a factory model, a one-size-fits-all approach. That wasn’t working very well before, and it’s working less well now.”

“Students have different needs,” agreed Long. “We just have to get a better understanding of what we need to prioritize and where students are” in all aspects of their home and school lives.

“By and large, our school systems are organized around a factory model, a one-size-fits-all approach. That wasn’t working very well before, and it’s working less well now,” says Paul Reville of the GSE.

Already, educators are discussing possible responses. Long and GSE helped create The Principals’ Network as one forum for sharing ideas, for example. With about 1,000 members, and multiple subgroups to address shared community issues, some viable answers have begun to emerge.

“We are going to need to expand learning time,” said Long. Some school systems, notably Texas’, already have begun discussing extending the school year, she said. In addition, Long, an internationally recognized economist who is a member of the  National Academy of Education and the  MDRC board, noted that educators are exploring innovative ways to utilize new tools like Zoom, even when classrooms reopen.

“This is an area where technology can help supplement what students are learning, giving them extra time — learning time, even tutoring time,” Long said.

Reimers, who serves on the UNESCO Commission on the Future of Education, has been brainstorming solutions that can be applied both here and abroad. These include urging wealthier countries to forgive loans, so that poorer countries do not have to cut back on basics such as education, and urging all countries to keep education a priority. The commission and its members are also helping to identify good practices and share them — globally.

Innovative uses of existing technology can also reach beyond traditional schooling. Reimers cites the work of a few former students who, working with Harvard Global Education Innovation Initiative,   HundrED , the  OECD Directorate for Education and Skills , and the  World Bank Group Education Global Practice, focused on podcasts to reach poor students in Colombia.

They began airing their math and Spanish lessons via the WhatsApp app, which was widely accessible. “They were so humorous that within a week, everyone was listening,” said Reimers. Soon, radio stations and other platforms began airing the 10-minute lessons, reaching not only children who were not in school, but also their adult relatives.

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What Is Educational Equity, and Why Does It Matter?

Why equity is better than equality for the economy

Defining Educational Equity

The impact of inequity in education, achievement gap, education and income, education and wealth, structural inequality, how to achieve equity in education, frequently asked questions (faqs).

Equity in education is when every student receives the resources needed to acquire the basic work skills of reading, writing, and simple arithmetic. It measures educational success in society by its outcome, not the resources poured into it.

The ongoing public health and economic crisis have made achieving educational equity even more challenging. In many areas, schools were shut down. This worsened racial disparities, as many low-income families don't have the WiFi connections or computer equipment needed for long-distance learning. A McKinsey study showed that, as a result, students of color were an additional three to five months behind in math, while white students were one to three months behind.

Inequity in education slows economic growth as much as recessions. Students who don't receive the educational resources they need can't perform at their optimal level. They don't earn as much, can't build wealth, and therefore can't afford to send their children to good schools. This continues a cycle of structural inequality that hurts society as a whole.

Educational equity means the educational system gives each student what he or she needs to perform at an acceptable level.

According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), equity in education has two dimensions that are closely intertwined.

1. Fairness

It means making sure that personal and social circumstances are not obstacles to achieving educational potential. It prohibits discrimination based on gender, ethnic origin, or socioeconomic status. 

2. Inclusion

It ensures a basic minimum standard of education for all. For example, everyone should be able to read, write, and do simple arithmetic. If some students need more to get there, they should receive it.

Equity should not be confused with educational equality, which means providing each student the equivalent resources.

Even if every school district gets the same level of funding, it might not be enough to help some students achieve the same level of proficiency. Equality is better than discrimination, but it may not be enough to provide equity.

Equity in education is necessary for  economic mobility . Without it, the economy will suffer from an achievement gap between groups in society. Because some students aren't prepared to achieve their working potential, it creates income inequality, which, in turn, forms a wealth gap.

Parents on the lower-wealth tiers can't afford to send their children to the expensive, quality schools that those on higher tiers can. This contributes to structural inequality, where the institutions themselves contribute to inequality. As a result, inequity in education means that a society loses the income and economic output potential of the lower-income tiers. That slows economic growth for everyone.

In the U.S., inequity in education has created an achievement gap between races. According to research firm Brookings, the average score of Black and Latinx students on standardized tests was significantly lower than that of White students.

In an earlier study, McKinsey found that the achievement gap caused by inequity in education has cost the U.S. economy more than all recessions since the 1970s. McKinsey also estimated that, if there had been no achievement gap in the years between 1998 and 2008, U.S.  gross domestic product  would have been $525 billion higher in 2008. Similarly, if low-income students had the same educational achievement as their wealthier peers over that same period, they would have added $670 billion in GDP.

Inequity in education has increased income inequality  in America. Over a lifetime, workers with college degrees earn 84% more than those with only high-school diplomas. Meanwhile, those with master's degrees or higher earn 131% more than high-school graduates.

Despite this clear economic advantage, fewer than half of Americans age 25-34 have at least a university-level education. Ten other countries, including Korea, Russia, and Canada, rank higher.  

One reason is that higher education costs so much in the U.S. According to the College Board, one year of a public state school costs $10,560 for in-state students and $27,020 for those from out of state students. Private non-profit education, meanwhile, costs $37,650 a year. The OECD adds the U.S. spends $30,165 per student enrolled in tertiary educational institutions each year, the second-highest amount after Luxembourg.  

A 2018 St. Louis Federal Reserve (FRED) study found there are three ways education creates wealth.

1. Families Headed by College Graduates Earn More

That gives the children a head start in life. They can attend better schools and receive better education themselves. 

2. The Upward-Mobility Effect

This occurs when a child is born into a family without a college degree. Once the child earns a diploma, the entire family becomes wealthier. FRED's study found this effect boosted family wealth by 20 percentage points. In families where both the parents and child graduated from college, wealth improved but only by 11 percentage points.

3. The Downward-Mobility Effect

Children whose parents didn't graduate from college fell 10 percentiles in wealth, while those with college-educated parents who didn't graduate from college themselves did worse, falling by 18 percentiles in wealth.  

Inequity in education has also led to structural inequality . Students in low-income neighborhoods may receive an inferior education compared with students in wealthier areas. Research from Michigan State University (MSU) has found that this school inequality gap accounts for 37% of the reason for their lower math scores. Structural inequality exists where poor children must attend public schools while rich children can afford to attend higher-quality private schools.

"Because of school differences in content exposure for low- and high-income students in this country, the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer,” said William Schmidt, an MSU professor of statistics and education, in the study. "The belief that schools are the great equalizer, helping students overcome the inequalities of poverty, is a myth."

The OECD recommends 10 steps to improve equity in education.   Among these are:

Improving the Educational System's Design

The first four steps are laid out to improve the design of educational systems. School districts must make sure each school has the resources it needs for its students. This includes everything from special education to gifted students.

The school system routinely assigns children from an early age to either college-bound or vocational tracks. This often discriminates by gender, race, and income. Instead, the OECD recommends that tracking should be delayed or even eliminated.

Poor performers should be given extra training so they can "catch up." This includes GED programs. Vocational workers should also receive a college education so they can manage in more high-tech manufacturing.

Providing Personalized Education

The OECD's fifth through seventh steps targets the classroom level. Students should receive a personalized education based on their needs.

• Instead of failing students, give them intense intervention in specific skill areas. This will increase graduation rates.
• Work with parents more to get their support for their child's schoolwork. If this is impossible, then provide after-school programs for those children.
• Help immigrants and minority children attend mainstream schools. If needed, give them intense language training. 

A University of Michigan study found an 11th solution that was both inexpensive and effective. Researchers sent invitations to high-performing, low-income high-school students. It promised scholarships to pay for all costs. More than two-thirds applied to the university, compared with 26% in a control group of students who also qualified for financial aid but did not receive targeted mailings.

Targeting Resources to Those Most in Need

The OECD's steps eight through ten suggest targeting scarce school funding to those most in need. The United States does the opposite. A U.S. Department of Education study found that 45% of high-poverty schools received less state and local funding than the average for other schools in their district. Similarly, the states that are wealthier have better education scores .

Step eight is to focus on early childhood education. The ninth recommendation says to give grants to children in low-income families to keep them in school. The federal government offers Pell Grants to low-income students attending college. Step 10 is to set school targets for student skill levels and school dropout rates, and to focus resources on those schools with the worst scores.

Key Takeaways

• Equity in education is not the same as an equal education.
• Equity is necessary for economic mobility.
• The cost of inequity is more than all recessions combined.
• The OECD recommends 10 steps to provide equity in education.

What is an equity gap in education?

An equity gap can describe any inequality in education that falls along racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic lines. Equity gaps can also fall along lines related to college readiness and whether or not someone is the first in their family to attend college . The California State University system considers all of these variables as it seeks to define, find, and close equity gaps.

What is the difference between equity and equality in education?

"Equality" refers to the equal treatment of people, while "equity " recognizes the unique circumstances of each person and treats them according to their needs. In theory, equity and equality would share a definition in a perfectly equal society, but inequalities in the real world make it necessary to differentiate between the two.

McKinsey & Company. " COVID-10 and Learning Loss - Disparities Grow and Students Need Help ."

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). " Ten Step to Equity in Education ."

The Education Trust. " Equity and Equality Are Not Equal ."

Brookings. " Race gaps in SAT scores highlight inequality and hinder upward mobility ."

McKinsey & Company. " The Economic Cost of the US Education Gap ."

Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. " The College Payoff ."

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). " Education at a Glance 2019 ," Page 2.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). " Population with tertiary education ."

College Board. " Trends in College Pricing: Highlights ."

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. " The Financial Returns from College Across Generations: Large But Unequal ."

Michigan State University. " Schools Worsen Inequality, Especially in Math Instruction ."

University of Michigan Ford School. " HAILed it—Tuition-Free Promise Attracts Low-Income Students to U-M ."

Department of Education. " Comparability of State and Local Expenditures Among Schools Within Districts: A Report From the Study of School-Level Expenditures ," Pages 18-28.

Education Next. " America's Mediocre Test Scores ."

Department of Education. " Federal Pell Grants Are Usually Awarded Only to Undergraduate Students ."

California State University. " Redefining Historically Underserved Students in the CSU ," Page 10.

The George Washington University. " Equity vs. Equality: What's the Difference? "

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An Overview of Equity in Education

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The process of becoming a teacher can be challenging, but it is well worth the effort. Teaching is an extremely rewarding profession that allows educators to help the next generation of students get the education and learning they need to be successful. It takes dedication and passion to pursue a teaching degree , and teachers need to take that same amount of passion and dedication to create a positive environment and empowering academic experience for their students. Equity in education is a key part of every good teacher’s approach to helping students find success, but what exactly is equity in education and how can teachers work to have it in their classrooms?

What is Equity in Education?

The term “equity in education” is deeply complex and can take on many forms, making it challenging to establish a succinct definition. But the basic meaning behind the term is the pursuit of creating an educational system that caters to students of all kinds and develops their educational experience accordingly. This means that no matter what a student’s background, language, race, economic profile, gender, learning capability, disability or family history, each student has the opportunity to get the support and resources they need to achieve their educational goals.

An example of equity in education can be found in teachers who are able to adapt their teaching style to match a student’s learning capabilities . Some students thrive as auditory learners, who process information out loud and ask questions as needed. Others are visual learners who absorb information through pictures, illustrations, and color that’s associated with the text they may be reading. Then there are tactile learners who take breaks during lessons, act things out to make sense of what’s being taught, and employ the use of models, charts, or diagrams to get the most out of their learning. When teachers are able to adapt their teaching style to meet students at their level and give them the support they need to learn, that contributes to equity in education.

Similarly, equity in education is seen when students of different races and ethnic groups are able to see examples of people of their race and community around them in the classroom. History lessons, story problems, and books that are inclusive and show all different types of people are key to helping students of different races feel that equity in the classroom. 

Equity in education aims to provide equal opportunity to all students to develop valuable skills and knowledge that help them live a full life and contribute to society. To achieve this goal, educators are tasked with reworking systems of learning that exist on both the school and district levels to ensure this new approach is adopted from the top down. The new system is then built on fairness and inclusion, with safeguards such as interventions and resources built in to make sure every student has every opportunity to achieve their academic goals.

Equity vs. Equality in Education

While the terms “equity” and “equality” are often used interchangeably, there are notable differences between the two. “Equality” focuses on ensuring students are presented with the same educational opportunities throughout their scholastic career; however, this approach doesn’t take into consideration that even with those opportunities, different students will have different needs in order to succeed. This is where equity comes in. “Equity” focuses on taking those opportunities presented to students and infusing them with support and resources to turn the education system into a level playing field. This means that disadvantaged students will get the support they need to become equal to students who are not disadvantaged. It takes equality a step further by lifting students who may not have the same opportunities and ensuring they not only are presented with the same options, but that the differences are made up for these students. 

Why is Equity in Education Important?

There are numerous reasons why equity in education is important, including:

• Creating opportunity for underprivileged and underserved students so they are able to overcome disadvantages and find success
• Giving everyone the chance to learn in the way that best supports their learning style
• Helping students become more engaged in what they’re learning by ensuring they see people who are their same race, gender, ethnicity, etc. in their learning
• Granting students more access to the resources that can bolster their education
• Strengthening the connection between a student’s family and their teacher, fostering a more enriching educational environment at home
• Guiding students to success in their educational career, and beyond
• Closing the opportunity and achievement gap by making students equal
• Improving a school district’s performance in metrics such as standardized testing
• Impacting the community in positive ways, such as reducing crime rates and increasing property value
• Creating an overall economic benefit by preparing students to become contributors to society, and saving money on public assistance

How to Identify Underserved Students

There are several ways that teachers can work to identify underserved students in their classroom. There are a few groups that typically qualify as underserved populations for students, and teachers need to understand what these groups are so they are able to help students in these populations be successful. 

Groups that typically qualify as underserved include:

• Racial/ethnic minorities. This typically includes all students who are not Caucasian. Teachers need to understand that racial and ethnic minority students typically are considered underserved and can benefit from equity in the classroom. Helping racial and ethnic minority students make connections to their own race, ethnicity, and community can help empower them as they learn.
• Low income. Schools that are from lower-income areas or specific students that come from lower-income families need teachers who understand equity in education. Lower income students may have less access to resources and opportunities, and equity in education can help make up for those deficiencies.
• First-generation students. Students who have parents who have lower education levels or no education are often considered an underserved population. These students can greatly benefit from teachers who are able to help them overcome the barriers of having family who haven't been through the same school system they are trying to navigate. 
• Students with learning disabilities. Students who struggle with learning disabilities require teachers who are able to use equity in education to help them close the gap. Teachers who are able to give specialized attention, cater lesson plans, and work to meet goals are key for students who struggle to learn.

How Can I Promote Equity in Schools?

While it’s true that change doesn’t happen overnight, it all starts with one step—and there are lots of things that teachers can do to promote equity in education. For example:

• Addressing systemic issues: By becoming more aware of issues that affect categories such as poverty, ethnicity, gender, and more, teachers can create actionable plans that can circumvent the affects these situations can have on a student’s education. They may not be able to single-handedly solve these issues, but by understanding more about them they discover how they affect a student’s learning capabilities, and correct them effectively. Teachers who understand how systems operate and impact their students are able to create better opportunities for their students inside the classroom.
• Addressing the role of leadership and administration: Similarly, school leadership and administration could also be a part of the systemic issues or be unaware of how those issues can affect students. Teachers can be helpful in alerting leadership to these complications and help get everyone on the same page about how to address them. Teachers who know when and how to work with administrators are key in helping increase equity in their classrooms, schools, and communities. 
• Removing barriers in the school environment: Learning and development gaps often present themselves early in a student’s education, so the more adept teachers are at identifying those blockages early, the more opportunity a student has to excel. This can include educating parents on the support systems that their student can take advantage of or helping them to navigate ways of finding and accessing those resources. Additionally, teachers can provide inexpensive learning resources, tutors, after-school programs, and many other opportunities that help lower barriers in the classroom setting. In instances where finances may be a challenge, teachers can also help parents find ways to afford the resources that can benefit their child.
• Addressing the role of technology: Technology is a crucial aspect of a student’s educational program, but many don’t have access to reliable internet or a computer that can support their studies at home. By providing access to reliable technology through the school, teachers can create an avenue of support for their students. Teachers can help create equity around technology by ensuring students have the ability to access technology, utilizing it in classroom settings where all students can benefit, teaching parents how to work with technology at home, and more.
• Regular reassessment of student performance: Monitoring student performance is an important part of the process, as it shows where a teacher’s equitable approach is effective and where there’s room for improvement. Teachers who are focused on equity work to regularly see how their students are performing, and can address what they can do to help increase the equity so their students can all thrive.

Additionally, teachers may also find it useful to take additional classes or online courses to help get a better understanding of how to foster an environment of equity in the classroom. 

Equity in education is a complex and critical issue to help all students thrive in a classroom setting. While there isn’t a simple solution or easy answer, every teacher can work to identify underserved students and increase equity each day in their classroom. Teachers who are focused on promoting equity are critical to the success of each and every student. As an educator, understanding and focusing on equity in schools is a critical way to make the lives of each student better. 

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Charting a Course for Educational Equity in Haiti: Challenges and Opportunities

This essay about the pursuit of educational equity in Haiti, exploring both the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. It discusses systemic issues such as poverty and inadequate infrastructure, alongside initiatives aimed at improving access to education. The essay emphasizes the importance of inclusive policies and practices, advocating for the inclusion of marginalized groups and investment in teacher training. It highlights the need for collaboration and sustained effort from various stakeholders to overcome obstacles and chart a path towards a more equitable future for Haiti’s youth.

How it works

Haiti, a nation with a rich cultural heritage and a resilient spirit, stands at a crossroads in its journey towards educational equity. While progress has been made, significant challenges persist, hindering the realization of a truly inclusive and accessible education system for all. In this discourse, we delve into the complexities of Haiti’s educational landscape, examining both the opportunities that lie ahead and the obstacles that must be overcome.

At the heart of Haiti’s quest for educational equity is the need to address systemic issues that have long plagued the education sector.

Poverty, inadequate infrastructure, and a shortage of trained teachers are among the key challenges facing the nation. Despite these hurdles, there are signs of hope. Initiatives aimed at improving access to education, such as the construction of new schools and the implementation of scholarship programs, offer promise for the future. Additionally, the dedication and resilience of Haitian educators and students serve as beacons of inspiration, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to learning in the face of adversity.

One of the critical avenues for advancing educational equity in Haiti is the promotion of inclusive policies and practices. This entails ensuring that marginalized groups, including girls, children with disabilities, and those from rural or impoverished communities, are not left behind. By adopting a holistic approach that addresses the diverse needs of all learners, Haiti can foster an environment where every child has the opportunity to thrive. Moreover, investing in teacher training and professional development is essential for building a skilled and motivated workforce capable of delivering quality education to all students.

However, achieving educational equity in Haiti will require sustained effort and collaboration on multiple fronts. Strengthening governance structures, enhancing transparency and accountability, and mobilizing resources are all critical components of this endeavor. Moreover, fostering partnerships between government agencies, civil society organizations, and the private sector can leverage collective expertise and resources to drive positive change. By working together towards a shared vision of inclusive education, stakeholders can chart a path towards a brighter future for Haiti’s youth.

In conclusion, the journey towards educational equity in Haiti is fraught with challenges, but it is also marked by resilience, determination, and hope. By addressing systemic barriers, promoting inclusive policies, and fostering collaboration, Haiti can pave the way for a more equitable and prosperous future. As we navigate this path together, let us remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that every child in Haiti has the opportunity to receive a quality education and realize their full potential.

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Charting a Course for Educational Equity in Haiti: Challenges and Opportunities. (2024, Mar 12). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/charting-a-course-for-educational-equity-in-haiti-challenges-and-opportunities/

"Charting a Course for Educational Equity in Haiti: Challenges and Opportunities." PapersOwl.com , 12 Mar 2024, https://papersowl.com/examples/charting-a-course-for-educational-equity-in-haiti-challenges-and-opportunities/

PapersOwl.com. (2024). Charting a Course for Educational Equity in Haiti: Challenges and Opportunities . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/charting-a-course-for-educational-equity-in-haiti-challenges-and-opportunities/ [Accessed: 12 Apr. 2024]

"Charting a Course for Educational Equity in Haiti: Challenges and Opportunities." PapersOwl.com, Mar 12, 2024. Accessed April 12, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/charting-a-course-for-educational-equity-in-haiti-challenges-and-opportunities/

"Charting a Course for Educational Equity in Haiti: Challenges and Opportunities," PapersOwl.com , 12-Mar-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/charting-a-course-for-educational-equity-in-haiti-challenges-and-opportunities/. [Accessed: 12-Apr-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2024). Charting a Course for Educational Equity in Haiti: Challenges and Opportunities . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/charting-a-course-for-educational-equity-in-haiti-challenges-and-opportunities/ [Accessed: 12-Apr-2024]

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Home — Essay Samples — Geography & Travel — Travel and Tourism Industry — The History of Moscow City

The History of Moscow City

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