Why an equity journey?

Why an equity journey?

Student performance gaps across race, ethnicity, sex, gender, ability, language acquisition and socioeconomic status have been the target of education reform for decades. Despite well-intentioned and sizable efforts, gaps remain. At Equity Journey Partners, we believe their persistence is due in part to the lack of attention to the inequitable access to opportunities for these student populations. Scaled-up improvement approaches often address the “norm” rather than specifically addressing the intended and unintended impact of culture and social identity group membership.

Inequitable systems do not require deliberate discrimination. In most schools and districts, inequities result despite the best intentions of the school and district community. The daily interaction of structural inequalities and unconscious biases of educators and staff with school policies and practices can subvert those good intentions, resulting in persistent opportunity gaps and, ultimately, performance gaps for student populations. (Lewis, 2015) An example of this detail can be found on the Equity Audit page. 

An equity lens is not the complete solution. Research-based components of effective district and school improvement remains the foundation for closing student performance gaps. However, without a deliberate focus on equity, schools and district will continue to experience persistent student performance gaps, despite heroic efforts of educators and the best of intentions. 

When should districts and schools adopt an equity lens? 

While EJP believes that districts should always be diligent about potential equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging issues, the following is a list of specific data points, incidences, or practices which require immediate attention.

Academic performance gaps for any subgroups.

• Social and performance gaps for any subgroups. 

• Academic programs and/or non-academic programs (inclusive of after-school and extra-curricular activities segregated by student subgroups).

• Recent increase in targeted student populations. 

• Teaching, student support and administrative staff that does not reflect the diversity of student and family population. 

• School district governance structure (include school board) that does not reflect the diversity of the student and family population.

• District and/or community segregated by income, race or ethnicity. 

• Incidence(s) in the district, school, community or state that indicate racial, ethnic, gender, sex, income or other discrimination or intolerance.

• Racial, ethnic and socioeconomic homogeneous staff and student population. 

The last bullet point may seem like surprise to some.  But, EJP believes district and schools that are predominately White (as well as middle to upper income) should engage in substantive and meaningful equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging training. We are educating our children to productive and responsible citizens of our country and the world.  Teaching students from homogeneous communities how to understand different perspectives and the impact of institutional racism is an important step.