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.
Middle School Math Should be a Door Opener, not a Gatekeeper
by Kristen HengtgenAll students are “math people.” Yet often, the current ways in which math is taught often leaves many Black and Latino students out of the equation. All studen…
Tennessee Students Advocate at the State Capitol
by Ed TrustAt the Tennessee State Capitol, a group of high school and college students representing the EmpowerED initiative at Ed Trust - Tennessee recently had the oppo…
The Protecting Our Students in Schools Act and the Keeping All Students Safe Act Will Protect Students
by Nancy Duchesneau and Blair WristonAt a time when Americans are increasingly worried about external threats to the health and safety of children in schools, state-sanctioned violence at the hand…
Very Few Black Women Lead School Districts. These Superintendents Are Using the Power of Sisterhood to Change That
During Teacher Appreciation Week, a group of Black women superintendents gathered at The Education Trust’s national headquarters in Washington, DC, to discuss …
The Importance of Equitable and Adequate School Funding for English Learners
I have been involved in the topic of school funding with an emphasis on English learners since my doctoral dissertation. I was fortunate to be trained by Dr. R…
A School Environment Can Positively (or Negatively) Affect a Student’s Mental Health
by Denise ForteMay is Mental Health Awareness Month. For some time, educators have known that more focus should be placed on the social emotional wellbeing of students — the …
INFOGRAPHIC: 5 Facts About Affirmative Action
Like it or not, the hard truth is that America has a long history of discrimination against people of color and women, who have systemically been denied access…
INFOGRAPHIC: The Nepo Babies of Higher Ed
College admissions have never been a level playing field. But, contrary to the current political rhetoric, when it comes to which factor gives applicants a big…
This Preschool Handbook is Essential to Early Learning — So Why Do Some States Want to Ban It?
Recently, Governor Kay Ivey forced the resignation of the secretary of Alabama’s Department of Early Childhood Education, Dr. Barbara Cooper, for allowing the …
Profiles in Education Equity: Qubilah Huddleston, P-12 Policy Lead for Ed Trust
Qubilah Huddleston is a P-12 policy lead, and she will help shape Ed Trust’s policy positions on equitable school funding. A native of Charlotte, North Carolin…
Educators Speak Up About How to Teach Climate Change
by Kristen HengtgenApril is Earth Month — and this year’s awareness efforts come just weeks after the release of the latest international report that paints a dire picture of the…
Raising the Bar for Students Through Multilingual Education
by Oscar Jimenez-Castellanos, Ofelia Garcia, and Eugene GarciaThe U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona recently laid out his three education priorities for the year: Promote academic excellence Improve conditions …
Fugees Family: Offering Education Opportunities for Immigrant and Refugee Students
by Manny ZapataMauwa is a seventh-grade student at Teranga Academy, a school district partnership between Fugees Family and Bowling Green Independent Schools in Kentucky, whe…
The Latest Threat to Student Debt Cancellation
by Wil Del Pilar and Reid SetzerWhile we await the Supreme Court’s decision on the legality of student debt cancelation, the threats to President Biden’s executive order cancelling up to $20,…
4 Ways Education Leaders Can Respond to Anti-Black Rhetoric
by Phelton MossFrom about 1925-1961, Nannie Helen Burroughs, an educator and activist who started her own school in Washington, DC, required her students to take both an oral…
The Pell Grant Makes College More Affordable—But It’s Only a Sliver of the True Cost of Attendance
by Gabriela OliverosHigh school seniors are starting to get their acceptance letters, their financial offerings from colleges across the country, and that’s definitely a cause for…
Censorship is About Power, Not People
Amid the fierce debate surrounding what should and should not be taught in classrooms, some far-right-leaning lawmakers have introduced legislation and taken s…
What Parents Really Want: Less Politicking & More Attention to Students’ Academic & Mental Health Needs
The "parents rights" debate is an exercise in political bluster over substance. The recent introduction of the Parents Bill of Rights Act (HR 5) in the House o…
Addressing Chronic Absenteeism
by Hedy ChangChronic absenteeism has long been a problem and it is unfortunately on the rise. Before the pandemic, 8 million students were deemed chronically absent. But on…
Developing a High-Quality and Diverse Principal Pipeline
by Nathan KrihaWhat do you remember about your favorite principal? I, for one, have vivid memories of the fearless leader of Cossitt Elementary in La Grange, Illnois, Princip…
