Educational equity is when educators provide all students with the high-quality instruction and support they need to reach and exceed a common standard.
Equity in education demands that we hold the same high expectations for all students, regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity, and socio-economic background. It requires leadership, practices, and school culture that guarantee educators help all students meet those expectations. The work of educators is not to lower the bar; it’s to provide all students with the support they need to reach and exceed the bar so they’re prepared for college, career, or life.
Equity vs Equality © Interaction Institute for Social Change | Artist: Angus Maguire
Equality suggests providing every student with the same experience. Equity means working to overcome the historical legacy of discrimination, marginalization, and underinvestment that disadvantages specific groups of people, especially defined by race. Equity requires providing support tailored to the specific needs of students.
Although true educational equity remains a distant goal, making progress towards it is a core motivating value for ANet.
© Interaction Institute for Social Change | Artist: Angus Maguire
Here’s another version of the equality/equity visual that has helped so many people think about this issue. Beyond clarifying the distinction between those two terms, this version addresses the broader social justice context and goals that motivate our work.
Read an interesting article on the history of this meme by its creator here.
As we begin the 2021-22 school year, I’m inspired by knowing the work we do together as educators changes students’ lives. Recently, I’ve been reflecting on the work of Bob Moses, late teacher and civil rights activist, who recognized math education as a tool for changing the outcomes for our Black and historically marginalized students.