Abstract:

Taking on educational inequities head-on has become an integral part of our teacher educator preparation program (EPP). According to Henderson’s 2018 literature review of the educational inequities for diverse P-12 US public school students, pupils of color are disproportionally impacted by educational inequities. The underlying reasons for the prevalent inequities require further research (Banks & Banks, 2016; Henderson, 2018; Jung, 2015). While policy change and more funding is needed to address the inequities (Kearney et al., 2019), educator preparation programs can guide practicing and future educators to work to disrupt and dismantle educational inequities within their school contexts. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices increase student achievement and promote inclusive learning communities (Mizelle & Jenkins, 2020; Moses & Brown, 2019). The goal for this presentation and paper will be to share how one university is working to evolve practicing teachers’ and teacher candidates’ awareness of educational inequities to actual implementation of change that address inequities in schools and communities. As part of a Multicultural Education for Diverse Learners course, graduate level students are required to research and confront issues related to inequities for diverse learners within their classroom and school contexts. The issues of inequity project provides the opportunity for practicing educators to demonstrate their knowledge of the history, research, policy, and current practices working with diverse (culturally, linguistically, economically, racially, … diverse) learners. The educators identify a relevant and timely inequity topic occurring in their school contexts (e.g, lack of teacher training, limited ESL instruction, school discipline, bias, lack of access to programs, over/under representation in special education); reflected in the research and data, and work with school colleagues to develop a plan of action with at least two research-based strategies that would be applied to address this issue in classroom or school, in the current and future school year(s).

The presentation and paper will overview the equity issues addressed by practicing teachers as the culminating project of their Multicultural for Diverse Learners graduate course. The goal will allow for participants to understand how EPP’s could take students from awareness about educational inequities prevalent in US public schools to authentic action, applying research-based solutions in real life contexts. The presenter will model how to address equity issues in difference contexts from the
1) why choose the topic;
2) an overview of the issue with key research findings;
3) potential solution(s);
4) feedback or insights from school-based colleagues or course peers; and
5) action plan implementation reflection.
Implications for creating classroom, school wide, and broader contextual change in relation to relevant and timely equity issues will be discussed.

Keywords:

Equitable education, educational inequities, multicultural education, diversity, equity, inclusion.