The Equity Line contains original analyses, commentary, and “on the ground” stories of students, parents, educators, and activists all over the nation striving to improve education. It chronicles our efforts, as well as those of partners and friends who are working toward the shared goal of closing gaps.
How to Keep Students Motivated
A former student of mine recently instant messaged me with news that she and a few of her classmates were sharing memories about my eighth grade class. My blood ran cold for a moment wondering about the various conversations that group of students could have had. I was relieved…
What Should Be on the 116th Congress’ To-Do List?
Now that the 2018 midterm elections are over, there’s a better sense of what things will look like in D.C. for the next two years. With Democrats taking the House, Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) will take over as Chair of the Education and the Workforce Committee (and likely change…
LGBTQ Students of Color Speak Up
What does it mean to be young, gifted, and Black — when you’re also queer? This was the question posed to intersectional high school and college students at Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C. The event was hosted by Ed Trust, GLSEN, the National Black Justice…
Voting vs. Activism: Black College Students Weigh In
The 2018 midterm elections are almost here, and early voting has already begun in some states. Voter enthusiasm is at an all-time high—many are calling it the most significant midterm in decades—with the outcomes falling squarely on the shoulders of America’s youngest generation of voters.Traditionally, young people don’t show…
The Role of Choice and Relevancy in Student Assignment
by Jack FlemingFor students to thrive and achieve at high levels in school, they must be interested and emotionally invested in their own learning.Why? Because motivation, or the desire that propels one to do something, leads to engagement.This means students are being attentive to their tasks, putting forth positive effort, persisting…
How Teacher Shortages and Teacher Turnover Affect Students
by Rachel Metz“To hear Trina’s counselor say they haven’t offered a senior science class for the LAST THREE YEARS, I am flabbergasted. Then they wonder why their students have to take remedial classes their first year of college, while students from nearby towns can get right to work on classes that…
Profile in Education Equity: High School Senior, Chandler Nutall
by Ed TrustChandler Nutall is a senior at School Without Walls Senior High School, located in Washington, D.C. She is also a sophomore at The George Washington University, where she will receive her associate degree in general studies in the spring of 2019. Chandler was a 2018 summer intern at The…
Q&A with Ricky Castro, 2017 Illinois Teacher of the Year
Ricardo “Ricky” Castro is a Spanish, Dual Language, and ESL teacher at Elk Grove High School, just outside Chicago, which is 42 percent low income and 46 percent Latino. A former teen gang member, he won the 2017 Illinois Teacher of the Year, the first Latino to do so.…
Educational Justice: Which Are You — an Advocate, Ally, or Activist?
by Sharif El-MekkiI often describe myself as an activist and a teacher. Why? Because I firmly believe that a quality education is a basic human right that has been historically and currently denied to so many students of color. And things I believe in require my staunch activism and deliberate action.…
Serena Williams and the Audacity to be a Black Woman or Girl with a Voice
By now, we all know what happened in the women’s final match at the US Open. But what a lot of people don’t realize is that what Serena Williams experienced on the court that day is not only rooted in the same systemic and institutional racism that has left…
Q&A with Erika McConduit, Louisiana Director, The Education Trust
Why are you so passionate about social justice in education?Social justice is something that has been a part of me throughout my life. I grew up in New Orleans. My mother was a children’s book writer, and my father was a lifelong educator, so education was ingrained in me.…
Profile in Education Equity: Ohio State Senator Peggy Lehner
This summer, Ohio legislators passed a bill that bans expulsions and out-of-school suspensions for students in kindergarten through third grade. Ohio now joins a handful of states, including Maryland, Virginia, and Tennessee that have taken measures to cut down the number of suspensions and expulsions for early learners. One…
10 Key Takeaways on Degree Attainment for Latino Adults
As we stated previously, there are many benefits to having a college degree, both on an individual and societal level. Noting the economic and social benefits of a more educated community, more than 40 states over the past decade have adopted some sort of degree attainment goal — that…
7 Key Takeaways on Degree Attainment for Black Adults
The individual benefits of earning a college degree are well known, but the larger social benefits that are associated with a better educated population are often overlooked. Generally, people with higher incomes contribute more to federal, state, and local tax revenues, which provide more money for schools, colleges, public…
3 Ways States Can Improve Degree Attainment for Blacks and Latinos
In the U.S., if you are Black, you are two-thirds as likely to hold a college degree as someone who is White; if you are Latino, you are half as likely. While there have been gains in degree attainment since 2000 (9.1 percentage points for Black adults and 7.2…
How Civic Engagement and Activism Begin In the Classroom
Civics education should happen early and often, because it affects our everyday lives. Whether you are watching the news on your television, listening to it on the radio, or checking it on your phone, you are bound to find a report about an injustice committed on the political level…
Profiles in Education Equity: Daniel Zavala, Director of Policy and Government Relations at League of Education Voters
by Ed TrustA native of Washington state, Daniel Zavala started his career as a bilingual special education teacher after getting his bachelor’s and master’s from Stanford University. His path to policy work was shaped by his parents’ backgrounds in education and social justice. After earning his law degree at the University…
Parent to Educators: Stop Labeling Our Children
by Ivy EllisWhat parent doesn’t want the best for their child? Of course, we all would like to live and raise our kid(s) in the safest neighborhood with the best schools staffed by talented, attentive teachers who also advocate for our children. Regardless of status or color, parents do everything in…
Profile in Education Equity: Brigitte Blom Ramsey, executive director of the Prichard Committee
by Ed TrustBrigitte Blom Ramsey is the executive director of the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence in Lexington, Kentucky. Previously, she spent a decade as an elected member of the Board of Education in Pendleton County, Kentucky and served as a governor-appointed member of the Kentucky Board of Education for six…
Why Congress Should Fund the School Leader Recruitment and Support Program and Title II-A
Soon, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies will be deciding on a budget for the 2019 fiscal year. Among the programs to be budgeted under the committee are K-12 education programs. Unsurprisingly, the current administration has proposed to eliminate a number…
