School districts and educators know the importance of an equitable learning environment.  However, every school district has unique obstacles to overcome, and every single student has unique needs.  Educators often influence factors that allow for these inequities to continue; therefore, not all inequities can be solved by educators in the classroom setting.  However, there are principals, which can guide any school district as they strive for educational equity. Read below to learn a few practices that can be used by school districts and educators to strive for educational equity.  

Equity and Equality

In order for educational equity to exist, it is important to understand the difference between the terms equity and equality.  An equitable learning environment and an equal learning environment is not the same thing. The difference deals with fundamentals of approach to resource distribution, the needs of students, and the experience of students.

Involve All Parties

Involving all parties striving for educational equity is pertinent in achieving the shared goal.  All stakeholders, leaders, and the community must be held accountable and be receptive for feedback.  Educators, alone, can’t ensure that all students have an equitable learning experience, which is why all parties must be involved.  

Combine Strategic Data with Meaningful Relationships

In order to create a truly equitable learning environment, district leaders must make use of all available student data to identify areas where inequities are present and have a negative impact on student achievement.

Strive for Culturally Responsive Teaching

School districts and teachers know the importance of culturally responsive teaching.  However, they sometimes are unclear on where to and how to start implanting this form of teaching.  Therefore, school administrators and educators should have internal conversations about beliefs, cultures, and the potential biases that can arise.

For more information on educational equity visit The Latino Literacy Project.  This organization offers webinars and in-person workshops that educate school administrators, educators, and parents of English Language Learners on how they can assist their students and children to achieve educational equity and academic success.