Racial Equity in Education Resources

On February 28, 2019, the Learning Policy Institute hosted a forum examining where we stand today with regard to realizing the promise of educational equity outlined in Brown v. Board of Education. The forum featured experts who shared lessons learned from efforts to fulfill Brown’s promise and analyze approaches being taken to ensure that school system design helps prepare students to be effective participants in our diverse democracy.

Data from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights Data Collection demonstrate that students of color, students with disabilities, and other historically underserved students are disproportionately impacted by zero-tolerance school discipline policies. During this briefing, panelists highlighted alternative, research-based school discipline policies and practices which create safe, inclusive learning environments for all students. LPI also released a new report, Protecting Students’ Civil Rights: The Federal Role in School Discipline.

More than half a century after the passage of Brown v. Board, the nation’s schools are becoming increasingly segregated by race and income. And yet, a large body of research shows that school desegregation benefits all students. At this briefing, speakers discussed the research and polices on integration and school funding and how they impact students during school and later in life.

How can social and emotional learning and cultural competence be integrated into educator preparation programs? Expert researchers and policymakers discussed this question in this webinar, with the goal of equipping teachers to consider the needs of the whole child with equity in mind.

The nation’s work towards greater racial equity and a more just society in many ways begins with more diverse and inclusive learning environments. Yet public schools are increasingly segregated along both racial and socioeconomic lines. This briefing explored the benefits of diverse and inclusive schools, instructional approaches that create inclusive classrooms, the importance of culturally and linguistically responsive practices, and state and federal opportunities to support diverse and inclusive school systems.

How can school districts advance equity and opportunity in partnership with students, teachers, and families? In the final webinar of a five-part series, panelists discussed strategies for how to evaluate existing district work on diversity, equity, and inclusion through intentional conversations and strategies. Strategies discussed include allocating resources equitably, providing students access to deeper learning, and supporting social and emotional learning.

Access to deeper learning is essential in a knowledge-based economy, but most schools, especially those serving low-income students and students of color, still focus on routine lower-level skills. The inequalities are so deep-seated that clearing a path to deeper learning for marginalized young people has required—and continues to require—considerable engagement in civil rights litigation, enforcement, and advocacy, as well as education reform.

As the landmark Brown v. Board decision turns 70, the country’s leading education researchers, civil rights advocates, legislators, community leaders and others convened for dozens of interactive sessions on what we have learned in the 70 years since the Brown v Board decision and where we go from here.

Research shows that racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically integrated learning environments can lead to academic and social benefits for children, yet most early childhood education programs are remarkably segregated. Speakers discussed strategies for integration and explored city and state examples.

Seventy years after Brown v. Board of Education, prominent education and civil rights experts discuss progress, setbacks, and strategies for educational equity. This conversation promises valuable insights into the strides made and the work still ahead as they explore the historical, current, and future landscape of American education through the lens of Brown.