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.
Blog: Is Tufts’ Lack of Diversity Undermining Its Civic Mission?
by Andrew Howard Nichols and Meredith WelchThe White House recently hosted a summit on civic engagement at one of the nation’s most elite and least diverse institutions of higher learning, Tufts Univers…
Why I Teach Where I Teach: Collaboration With My Colleagues Keeps Me Going
by Katherine McClaffertyKatherine McClafferty is a second-grade teacher at Graham Road Elementary School in Virginia, which is 90 percent students of color. She is in her sixth year o…
#EdTrust2014 Conference — Day Two
by Mandy ZatynskiIf you’re looking for information from Day One, click here.FINAL UPDATE 2:10 p.m.Heard Around ConferenceDegrees of Preparation: Ensuring students have the clas…
#EdTrust2014 Conference — Day One
by Mandy ZatynskiProject-Based Learning: It’s not about dioramasLeaders from Charles R. Drew Public Charter School, one of the winners of this year’s Dispelling the Myth Award,…
Inspired by the Students: Teaneck High’s Cultural Transformation
by Hilary TackieSchool climate was on the top of Dennis Heck’s list of things to change when he started as principal of Teaneck High School in 2011. From the start, he aimed t…
‘Just a Rusty Ol’ Fence With Some Paint on It’
by Brooke HaycockI drove into the delta, Northern Louisiana, along the two-lane highway that led to Thaddeus’s school. Fields of cotton and pecan on one side, rusted out railro…
Finding the Gaps Hidden Beneath the Averages: The Case for Better Public Reporting
by Allison HorowitzThis post originally appeared on Data Quality Campaign’s The Flashlight blog.Today the Data Quality Campaign released Empowering Parents and Communities throug…
#EdTrust2014 Full Conference Lineup
Still on the fence about attending The Education Trust 2014 National Conference? Need to make the case for your school team to attend? Look through the full se…
Staying Optimistic in the Midst of Dysfunction
by Kati HaycockWhen I feel overwhelmed about the madness in Washington, I have a time-tested strategy: I get myself as fast as I can to a high-poverty school that is hitting …
Fast Fact: Why High-Quality Annual Assessments Are Important to Parents
by Ed TrustProduced by Ed Trust staff.
When Schools Don’t Understand the Power of Data
by Karin ChenowethBack when I was a high school parent, I served on the school improvement committee. I kept asking for data on achievement, attendance, test results, and so for…
How to Strengthen School Accountability
by Kati HaycockCount me among those who applaud the new guidance from the U.S. Department of Education on enforcing fair access to critical educational resources. For far too…
A School’s Traditions Demonstrate Its Values
by Karin ChenowethWhen I visit a school, I am always struck by the traditions and rituals that help establish the school’s identity and signal what a school values.Most high sch…
What Happened With Cohort Default Rates?
by Deborah VeneyThe U.S. Department of Education recently released student loan cohort default rates for colleges and universities. Schools with rates of 30 percent or more fo…
Broad Prize Lessons From the Middle Seat
by Karin ChenowethOn a recent flight to Atlanta I was stuck in a middle seat, which I initially viewed with dismay but soon grew to appreciate.The person on my left saw that I w…
A Next-Generation Design for Federal Financial Aid
by Mandy ZatynskiThis morning, we’ll be hosting a panel discussion about better targeting federal financial aid, work-study dollars, and other funding to more effectively benef…