Equity, Equality, and Education
If equity is effective, what would it look like in schools?
Dr. Yolanda Peay @PeayGroup
@PeayGroup
When presented with the question, “if equity is effective, what would it look like in schools?” I have to admit, it took weeks for me to ponder a response.
I need to explain why such a question, would seem like a conundrum to me. You see, as a Black student sitting behind a desk in public schools, I experienced inequity. As a Black educator who taught in urban settings who had no say in curriculum decisions I’ve contributed to inequity. As a Black PhD student my research was dedicated to understanding why inequity exists in schools. As a Black principal I made sure that if I had any say my students would not have to experience the same inequities that I did when I was a student like them. It’s easy to dismiss inequity in schools when you have not experienced it or been impacted by it.
Equity is defined as the quality of being fair or impartial. My experience has taught me that equity in schools isn’t about fairness. For equity to exist in schools, every student would need to have the individual (academic and behavioral) supports necessary for them to reach their full potential. This means that schools would have to treat students as individuals who come equipped with their own insights, talents, and beliefs. With that being said, it would also mean that students would not be attending school solely for the purpose of passing state mandated tests. I am still unsure as to why the public education system in the United States groom students to fit into a box when the world needs agents of change who are innovative creative problem solvers.
The need to establish equity in schools could be traced back to Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 1954. Yes, the momentous case where the U. S Supreme Court ruled unanimously that racial segregation of children in public schools was unconstitutional took place only 67 years ago. Some believe the case made equal opportunity in education the law of the land, I would wholeheartedly have to disagree. Even though public schools have since been desegregated, they still remain unequal and are very much still separated. Urban schools have high populations of students of color and suburban schools have high populations of White students. If you don’t see this as a problem, do the research necessary to help your figure out which schools are more equitable.
There were many school reform efforts that have been put in place in an effort to silence inequity since the Supreme Court ruling of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. A Nation at Risk, published in 1983 by the State Education Department brought “The Achievement Gap” into the public’s perspective. Low-income Black and Hispanic students consistently and persistently perform lower than their White counterparts. “The Achievement Gap” is also evident in school dropout rates as well as college-completion rates. Race to the Top (2009), NCLB (2015), and ESSA (2017-2018) were all education reform efforts enacted with the goal of establishing equity in schools. Students of the larger global majority continue to experience educational inequity. Equity in schools will be evident when there is no longer a need for school reform and “The Achievement Gap” is non-existent.
School funding is also a major factor that contributes to inequity in education. Blended methods of taxation include the use of multiple forms of taxes to be allotted to funding school districts. For example, New York State uses multiple forms of taxes like lottery winnings and local taxes which includes property taxes and income taxes. Some groups have to pay more than others, New York State also has 8 brackets of income taxes that tax incomes up to 1.29 million. Progressive income tax structures vary by state, income can be a defining factor in determining how much a taxpayer gives. To put it simply, you cannot give what you don’t have and those who do have it to give find loopholes within the system. Funding contributes to curriculum, teacher salary, leadership, technology, additional resources and supports that can determine whether or not a student succeeds. Ultimately, limited funding could mean fewer highly qualified teachers, staff, and resources. Redefining foundation formulas could possibly promote educational equity in schools, the CFE Foundation Aid Program may be the step in the right direction. Another contributing factor is also how funding is spent. Sometimes it is not simply a matter of how much you have but how you capitalize off of what you have.
Equity in schools also requires a shift in mindset and recognition of our own biases. People sometimes have a misconception of what it means to be biased. No one wants to believe that they are biased. The truth is everyone has stereotypes and beliefs that their personal experiences and surroundings gave birth to. Our thoughts and behaviors are formed through personal life experiences. Understanding that we all have biases is the first step, recognizing what those biases are is the second step, and working toward addressing biases is the third step toward educators establishing equity in classrooms. You will not want to change something that you feel is working properly or interrupt a system that works in your favor. The fact that there are still blatant educational disparities in the majority of public schools across the United States speaks volumes. It is not a little problem it is a huge problem; in the case of Hispanic and Black students an equitable quality education can even mean the difference between life or death. Biases in the classroom that are not addressed can negatively impact academic performance. Not believing that every child can be successful in the classroom is biased. Teaching students at one level because the majority is at or below level is not equitable, but meeting students where they are and providing meaningful instruction with the goal of helping them make adequate progress is equitable. Anything that is done in a classroom that impedes the success of some and promotes the success of others is inequitable. Culturally relevant pedagogy can help teachers with instructional practices that are equitable. Working toward teaching with the intent of creating equitable outcomes for all students will not come without challenges. Some people are reading this right now and thinking that it can’t be done, while I was writing this, I was thinking that it is not completely impossible either.
Now let’s imagine a school where although the students are coming in performing below average and the funding is limited staff and students alike enjoy being there because of the following.
In conclusion, equity in schools is not a privilege. Equity does not mean fairness; it means equipping students with the individual supports they need to be successful. If you are an educator who believes that it takes too much work or one who believes that the educational system is not broken perhaps you are in the wrong profession. Teaching is a profession of servitude; it requires you to give a little bit more than what is explicitly stated on a bulleted list of responsibilities on a job posting. Change is made possible through strategizing and team efforts; it has to be intentional. I envision equitable schools where numbers one through sixteen are the norm, not something extra. All students are deserving of equity because all students are worthy of the opportunity to be successful.
Dr. Yolanda Peay is the founder of Peay & Associates Consultant Group LLC. She has over twenty years of experience in urban school settings working with diverse student populations. Dr. Yolanda Peay is an educational consultant, professional developer, and coach. She is the author of The Mirror: Imagine the Unimaginable. Dr. Yolanda Peay is a certified educator and school district leader. She holds a Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum & Instruction.
I need to explain why such a question, would seem like a conundrum to me. You see, as a Black student sitting behind a desk in public schools, I experienced inequity. As a Black educator who taught in urban settings who had no say in curriculum decisions I’ve contributed to inequity. As a Black PhD student my research was dedicated to understanding why inequity exists in schools. As a Black principal I made sure that if I had any say my students would not have to experience the same inequities that I did when I was a student like them. It’s easy to dismiss inequity in schools when you have not experienced it or been impacted by it.
Equity is defined as the quality of being fair or impartial. My experience has taught me that equity in schools isn’t about fairness. For equity to exist in schools, every student would need to have the individual (academic and behavioral) supports necessary for them to reach their full potential. This means that schools would have to treat students as individuals who come equipped with their own insights, talents, and beliefs. With that being said, it would also mean that students would not be attending school solely for the purpose of passing state mandated tests. I am still unsure as to why the public education system in the United States groom students to fit into a box when the world needs agents of change who are innovative creative problem solvers.
The need to establish equity in schools could be traced back to Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 1954. Yes, the momentous case where the U. S Supreme Court ruled unanimously that racial segregation of children in public schools was unconstitutional took place only 67 years ago. Some believe the case made equal opportunity in education the law of the land, I would wholeheartedly have to disagree. Even though public schools have since been desegregated, they still remain unequal and are very much still separated. Urban schools have high populations of students of color and suburban schools have high populations of White students. If you don’t see this as a problem, do the research necessary to help your figure out which schools are more equitable.
There were many school reform efforts that have been put in place in an effort to silence inequity since the Supreme Court ruling of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. A Nation at Risk, published in 1983 by the State Education Department brought “The Achievement Gap” into the public’s perspective. Low-income Black and Hispanic students consistently and persistently perform lower than their White counterparts. “The Achievement Gap” is also evident in school dropout rates as well as college-completion rates. Race to the Top (2009), NCLB (2015), and ESSA (2017-2018) were all education reform efforts enacted with the goal of establishing equity in schools. Students of the larger global majority continue to experience educational inequity. Equity in schools will be evident when there is no longer a need for school reform and “The Achievement Gap” is non-existent.
School funding is also a major factor that contributes to inequity in education. Blended methods of taxation include the use of multiple forms of taxes to be allotted to funding school districts. For example, New York State uses multiple forms of taxes like lottery winnings and local taxes which includes property taxes and income taxes. Some groups have to pay more than others, New York State also has 8 brackets of income taxes that tax incomes up to 1.29 million. Progressive income tax structures vary by state, income can be a defining factor in determining how much a taxpayer gives. To put it simply, you cannot give what you don’t have and those who do have it to give find loopholes within the system. Funding contributes to curriculum, teacher salary, leadership, technology, additional resources and supports that can determine whether or not a student succeeds. Ultimately, limited funding could mean fewer highly qualified teachers, staff, and resources. Redefining foundation formulas could possibly promote educational equity in schools, the CFE Foundation Aid Program may be the step in the right direction. Another contributing factor is also how funding is spent. Sometimes it is not simply a matter of how much you have but how you capitalize off of what you have.
Equity in schools also requires a shift in mindset and recognition of our own biases. People sometimes have a misconception of what it means to be biased. No one wants to believe that they are biased. The truth is everyone has stereotypes and beliefs that their personal experiences and surroundings gave birth to. Our thoughts and behaviors are formed through personal life experiences. Understanding that we all have biases is the first step, recognizing what those biases are is the second step, and working toward addressing biases is the third step toward educators establishing equity in classrooms. You will not want to change something that you feel is working properly or interrupt a system that works in your favor. The fact that there are still blatant educational disparities in the majority of public schools across the United States speaks volumes. It is not a little problem it is a huge problem; in the case of Hispanic and Black students an equitable quality education can even mean the difference between life or death. Biases in the classroom that are not addressed can negatively impact academic performance. Not believing that every child can be successful in the classroom is biased. Teaching students at one level because the majority is at or below level is not equitable, but meeting students where they are and providing meaningful instruction with the goal of helping them make adequate progress is equitable. Anything that is done in a classroom that impedes the success of some and promotes the success of others is inequitable. Culturally relevant pedagogy can help teachers with instructional practices that are equitable. Working toward teaching with the intent of creating equitable outcomes for all students will not come without challenges. Some people are reading this right now and thinking that it can’t be done, while I was writing this, I was thinking that it is not completely impossible either.
Now let’s imagine a school where although the students are coming in performing below average and the funding is limited staff and students alike enjoy being there because of the following.
- All staff members are invested in providing the best possible instruction to all students, they work collaboratively as a team to accomplish the school’s mission.
- Every decision that is made throughout the school is based on what’s best for students. If a teacher needs a stress day, they should not be reprimanded for practicing self-care, it’s in the best interest of students.
- Parents are welcomed into the school building, their feedback is valued, and they’re treated as partners. Students know when there is a disconnect and parents are the first teachers, the feedback that they can provide to help teachers in the classroom is invaluable.
- Administration supports teachers so that teachers can support students, ensuring that students are successful is a team effort.
- The culture of the school is conducive to student learning and growth; success is the norm, all students feel supported and believe that they can be successful because they’re told that they can, and they’re provided with the supports needed to get them there.
- Students are offered the individual academic and behavioral supports they need to reach their educational goals, there are systems in place to ensure that the goals are met. Focusing on academic needs and ignoring the behavioral needs of students results in educational disparities.
- Students are active participants in the learning process. Don’t talk at them, they have a lot to offer, let them contribute.
- Curriculum is up to date, differentiated, relevant, and engaging. It should meet the needs of your student population; you cannot expect to get the outcomes you desire by forcing students to fit into the curriculum. The curriculum should be tailored to meet their needs.
- Technology is available to support student learning and utilized effectively.
- Cultural differences are praised instead of shunned; students feel included and know that they matter.
- Students have access to programs that are designed to their talents and interests, sports, dance, debate teams, chorus, etc. These programs help students to become more focused on learning.
- Student success is not just measured by standardized tests, school-wide instructional practices are adopted that cater to the whole child.
- Staff is diverse because representation matters.
- There is healthy student to teacher ratios, class sizes are small.
- Board members are committed to serving the community and are the voice of the community.
- Finances are handled appropriately.
In conclusion, equity in schools is not a privilege. Equity does not mean fairness; it means equipping students with the individual supports they need to be successful. If you are an educator who believes that it takes too much work or one who believes that the educational system is not broken perhaps you are in the wrong profession. Teaching is a profession of servitude; it requires you to give a little bit more than what is explicitly stated on a bulleted list of responsibilities on a job posting. Change is made possible through strategizing and team efforts; it has to be intentional. I envision equitable schools where numbers one through sixteen are the norm, not something extra. All students are deserving of equity because all students are worthy of the opportunity to be successful.
Dr. Yolanda Peay is the founder of Peay & Associates Consultant Group LLC. She has over twenty years of experience in urban school settings working with diverse student populations. Dr. Yolanda Peay is an educational consultant, professional developer, and coach. She is the author of The Mirror: Imagine the Unimaginable. Dr. Yolanda Peay is a certified educator and school district leader. She holds a Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum & Instruction.