Reaching the Heart of Leadership by Avis E. Glaze

Author:Avis E. Glaze
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Published: 2017-07-31T13:30:33.489759+00:00

Parents should

Feel welcomed in the school

Help develop the academic, attitudinal, and behavioral standards that are expected

Have opportunities for meaningful involvement

Have regular communication and be kept informed about the progress of their children

Help determine the mechanism to provide regular feedback on policies, programs, and interactions

Learn about the ways they can contribute to their children’s learning

Equitable and Inclusive Schools for All Learners

Apart from a focus on issues related to justice, there are several social and economic reasons for societies to be concerned about equity (Gaskell & Levin, 2012). For example, there is increased recognition that inequality is linked to reduced social cohesion, which is in turn linked to poorer economic growth and less ability to attract investors (Green, Preston, & Janmaat, 2006; Lloyd-Ellis, 2003; Osberg, 1995). Furthermore, there is growing evidence that countries with less inequality tend to have better economic and social outcomes (Wilkinson & Pickett, 2009). This brings together the seemingly disparate social and economic arguments for reduced inequity.

Making schools more equitable has become a major mandate for governments across the globe. In the past, equity conversations have tended to focus on achievement gaps, as measured by standardized test scores. However, Ladson-Billings (2006), past president of the American Educational Research Association, argues that the achievement gap is a logical consequence of the “education debt,” a collection of the historical, economic, sociopolitical, and moral debts accrued against marginalized and racialized peoples and children. Thus, she states, effectively addressing the achievement gap must involve first addressing the education debt.

In a similar vein, there is growing recognition that achievement gaps in schools are heavily influenced by the opportunity gaps that students from traditionally marginalized backgrounds have faced. Opportunity gaps can be conceptualized in terms of three dimensions of inequality (Fraser, 2005). These are

Inequality in the material conditions of children’s lives

Denial of cultural belonging or equal social status

An inequitable voice in decisions that affect one’s well-being

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