Title: Equity in Education: What it Is and Why it Matters - Thinking Maps
Headings: Equity in Education: What it Is and Why it Matters
Equity in Education: What it Is and Why it Matters
What Do We Mean By Equity, Anyway?
Aspects of Educational Equity
Promoting Equity at the School and Classroom Level
Empowering All Students to Succeed
For Further Reading and Viewing
The Challenges of Equity in Public Education
An Equity Q&A with Laura Slover, CEO at CenterPoint Education Solutions
Equity vs. Equality in the Classroom

Content: What supports are provided for students who need extra help to achieve academic goals? Do all students have highly qualified teachers who are well prepared to meet their needs? OECD has outlined ten critical steps to equity in education that encompass educational design, practices, and resourcing. Promoting Equity at the School and Classroom Level
While some aspects of equity in education must be addressed on a broader systemic scale, there are many things that can be done at the individual school and classroom level to create a more equitable environment for students. Achieving equity is closely tied to personalized learning: it requires understanding each student’s individual needs and designing educational experiences that will help all students achieve success. In an equitable—as opposed to merely equal—classroom, each student is given the support and scaffolding they need to optimize their educational progress. The goal is for all students to work in their Zone of Proximal Development, which is defined as “the difference between what a learner can do without help and what he or she can do with help.” That may mean that: Some students will have different expectations on an assignment, such as only writing three paragraphs instead of five.