https://outreach.ou.edu/Educational-Services Parent Page: Educational Services id: 29713 Active Page: Equity for Diverse Populationsid:29717

EQUITY FOR DIVERSE POPULATIONS

The U.S. Census Bureau predicts that by the year 2060, the U.S. will become a nation of minorities when the non-Hispanic white population no longer makes up a majority of the nation. These changes in demographics are reflected in the school age population and must be reflected in the classrooms and practices that teach these children.

In education, the term equity refers to the principle of fairness. While it is often used interchangeably with the related principle of equality, equity encompasses a wide variety of educational models, programs and strategies that may be considered fair, but not necessarily equal. It is has been said that “equity is the process; equality is the outcome,” given that equity—what is fair and just—may not, in the process of educating students, reflect strict equality—what is applied, allocated or distributed equally.

- The Glossary of Education Reform

Multicultural education is a progressive approach for transforming education that holistically critiques and responds to discriminatory policies and practices in education. It is grounded in ideals of social justice, education equity, critical pedagogy and a dedication to providing educational experiences in which all students reach their full potentials as learners and as socially aware and active beings, locally, nationally and globally. Multicultural education acknowledges that schools are essential to laying the foundation for the transformation of society and the elimination of injustice.

The underlying goal of multicultural education is to affect social change. The pathway toward this goal incorporates three strands of transformation:

  • the transformation of self
  • the transformation of schools and schooling
  • the transformation of society

View Highlights of Dr. Gorski's Presentation.

Louisiana ESL Coaches Model Pilot (2019)

Oklahoma Native Language Certification Committee (2015)

The contents of this website were developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education and are intended for general reference purposes only. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education or the Center, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Some resources on this site require Adobe Acrobat Reader. This website archive includes content and external links that were accurate and relevant as of September 30, 2019.