Education Equity
Creating Fair Classrooms for Every Student
Education equity means meeting students where they currently are, understanding their individual needs, and creating an environment where each student can thrive.
Education Equity vs. Equality
Despite often being used interchangeably, the terms “equity” and “equality” have significantly different definitions when it comes to education.
“Equality” refers to providing students with the same educational opportunities throughout their academic careers. This approach ignores the important issue that – even with those opportunities – different students will have different needs in order to succeed. For example, a school may provide tablets for all students to complete homework, but students without internet access at home will not reap the same benefits as those who do. Equality is necessary in the school system, but it’s also too impersonal to truly benefit all students equally.
What Equity Can Look Like in the Classroom
Minimizing Educational Barriers
Equitable classrooms can help foster a fair learning environment for all students by diversifying the curriculum, holding all students to equal expectations, and avoiding presumptions about students’ experiences and backgrounds.
Creating an Inclusive Environment
Classroom discussions should cover a wide variety of viewpoints with which different students can relate. An inclusive classroom environment encourages students to speak to each other with respect, empathy, and understanding.
Avoiding Assumptions
Encourage an equitable classroom environment by avoiding assumptions about students’ experiences, abilities, and backgrounds. Each student has unique needs, and technology should be used in a way that aligns with the resources of all students.
Using Classroom Space in Creative Ways
The structure of a classroom influences the way students engage with their peers and teachers. Engagement-focused classroom setups, such as group seating, can help students communicate and engage in meaningful, respectful discussions with both their peers and their teachers.
Learn More About Education Equity
Narrow the Opportunity Gap with High-Quality Tutoring
Learning loss has well-documented and negative effects on students. It’s crucial to concentrate on finding ways to increase student learning and support their long-term success. Studies have shown that one of the most effective approaches to support kids’ academic growth is tutoring – specifically standardized, high-quality tutoring that focuses on the needs of individual students. Providing all students access to high-quality tutoring is an opportunity to rebuild education with strategies that work in the 21st century.
Learning Loss
The world changed in 2020 when COVID-19 caused cities to go into lockdown. Schools were heavily impacted, and thousands were forced to close their doors until they could safely resume. The solution to the issue of school closures became distance learning: however, that put many students at a disadvantage. When students are out of “normal” school for an extended period of time, they forget (or don’t receive) the essential teaching or resources to gain grade-level knowledge or abilities. To achieve equity in education, the ongoing effects of Learning Loss – particularly on low-income students and students of color – must be addressed.
Why Are Black and Latino Students Falling Further Behind?
Because of unequal access to dependable internet and computers, as well as less time spent with their teachers and peers, Black, Latino, and low-income students are falling further behind their counterparts.
In California, one out of every four K-12 families does not have reliable internet access. 17% of students do not have access to a computer, leaving them completely disconnected. While the digital divide affects all children, it has the greatest impact on Black and Latino children.
Increase Education Equity in Your Community
Within the education equity and justice movement, there’s a growing understanding that effective transformation requires both parent and community leadership. The stakes are much higher today for parents – who are routinely left out of the present decision-making process on these crucial concerns – given the long-term effects of the worldwide pandemic on educational loss, unemployment rates, and the consequent racial justice revolt.
To support the leadership of parent and resident leaders, education equity organizations require a deep, long-lasting, and diverse pipeline of organizers with standardized training. Our Community Organizing Training Program was established to give national organizers a forum to exchange best practices, advance their knowledge of the field, and build cross-regional networks that result in policy victories.