Equity
EQUITY refers to seeking fair and just practices both within the school and outside the school. Equity results in asking and acting upon questions such as: What makes this a best practice? Does it work for all students, or for only some students? Does it serve to keep students under control, or does it enhance intellectual growth? Is there a difference?

Democratic school communities have a positive effect on the success of all students. Not only is overall student achievement significantly higher in democratic school communities, but achievement gains are also distributed more equitably. That is, the achievement gap between students of lower socioeconomic status, and students of higher SES is narrower in democratic school communities (Lee & Smith, 1994). Technology enables us to organize and view graphically a large amount of data. Through inquiry and discourse, these data can inform our practice and help us to gain new insights. The Internet has many resources that include research-based solutions that we can employ to address inequities in the educational system.

Concern for Equity Articles:

Comprehensive School Reform Models Addressing the Needs of English Language Learners (Southwest Comprehensive Center)
A project of the Center for the Education and Study of Diverse Populations at New Mexico Highlands University, Rio Rancho, NM. Supported by the USDE, it identifies comprehensive school reform models that serve English Language Learner (ELL) students.

Diversity in Our Schools: New Opportunities for Teaching and Learning (Southwest Educational Development Laboratory)
This on-line publication contains articles on diversity, language, training and resources from a variety of authors.

Strategies for Closing the Gap (Washington State Department of Education)
The core learning principles for equity as identified by the Washington State Department of Education. The entire publication is available online here.

The Digital Divide (Southwest Educational Development Laboratory)
This web site facilitates the sharing of ideas, information, and possible solutions among many stakeholders focusing on narrowing the gap for access to technology and information skills.

Digital Age Equity (North Central Regional Educational Laboratory)
Engauge, a web-based framework, developed by NCREL addresses several critical issues in technology implementation and equity is one of its foci.

Helping At-Risk Students Meet Standards (Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning)
This pdf file contains a synthesis of research for effective strategies in assisting low-achieving students to meet standards.

Democratic School Practices to Maximize Student Success (North Central Regional Educational Laboratory)
This publication suggests ways to address the achievement gap in schools.

InTimeMe (InTime)
For planning to address multicultural issues.

Examples In Practice (North Central Regional Educational Laboratory)
A checklist designed to help evaluate and reflect upon the concepts central to educating for democracy as it exists currently in your school.

Technology

Reinventing Schools
The "Ensuring Equity" program from the National Academy of Sciences promotes a "level playing field" for all students regardless of race or socio-economic status.