HOME

Introduction to topic

What is the issue?

Education inequality is a prevalent issue in the United States, affecting children daily.

The longer we silence ourselves and turn a blind eye to injustice in education, we allow

innocent children to be deprived of an equal education. The research found on this

website is an attempt to spread awareness and knowledge on the issue at hand to bring

forth a much needed change within the current education system.

Quote

One of the most powerful tools for empowering individuals and communities is making

certain that any individual who wants to receive a quality education can do so.

Christine Gregoire

Quick Statistics

15 million children live in poverty in the United States today

They are unlikely to achieve the same success as their wealthier peers.

Statistics suggest students will perform on a lower academic level, drop out sooner, and

have less motivation to attend.

Inadequate funding in the public school system creates a cycle that children living in

poverty find hard to escape.

How does budget contribute to this issue?

 Each year unfair and inequitable school funding deprives millions of students of an equal

opportunity for academic success. Reports over the past five years show minimal

improvement, showing no substantial efforts from the system to change the inadequacy

and injustice in the distribution process of school funding which is done state by state. Comment [Office1]: Suggestion made by Malcolm to
specify how this is distributed.
The research provided on this website was conducted in order to stress the value of equal

school funding and the negative impacts it can have upon students academically when not

distributed properly. Comment [Office2]: Move to separate section

How can we help?

Support teachers and students in need of resources for the classroom

Donorschoose.org

Spread awareness to educate others in an effort to make a change

THE BREAKDOWN

As citizens, we should concern ourselves with the question of whether the current levels

of poverty and inequality really matter. The answer to this question is simple, they do, and they

matter a great deal. Poverty continues to be a significant and growing problem for America as

the number of children living in poverty continues to climb. Poverty has worked its way into one Comment [Office3]: Malcolm suggested that I add a
specific a way that its become a problem.
of the most valued aspects of the American life, education. This alone reduces the chance of

individuals achieving the American Dream, a dream that so many flock to our country to

achieve.

The United States is currently ranked the second highest country in child poverty

according to the United Nations International Childrens Emergency Fund (UNICEF). More than Comment [Office4]: Malcolm suggested identifying the
source
15 million children live in poverty today, with an even higher rate for Black and Hispanic

children and for those in families headed by a single parent. Children growing up in poverty

complete less schooling due to lack of motivation, resources, and opportunities. The lack of

motivation, resources, and opportunities can be attributed to the lack of funding in the public

school system. Schools within the public education system are financed through a combination

of local, state, and federal funds. This is where the issue with school funding begins.

Although public schools are financed through a combination of funds, they are primarily

funded by local funds which come mostly from property taxes. The problem with a school-

funding system that relies so heavily on property taxes is that it creates an imbalance. Property

values vary from community to community which result in poorer communities receiving less

money for their schools. Therefore, the vast amount of public schools across America remain

racially and economically segregated creating an even larger gap between the rich and the poor.

Today, the achievement gap between the rich and the poor is becoming more evident with no

substantial efforts to bring forth change. Comment [Office5]: Malcolm suggested adding a source
but I did not use one for this paragraph of information. I
wrote the paragraph based on prior knowledge.
As with any other issue, there are two sides and people choose a stance that they most

closely relate or agree with. In regards to this issue, some individuals deny that there is any

inequality within the school system that needs to be addressed. However, these individuals tend

to come from or work for schools that are in the wealthier communities. On the other hand,

people agree that there is inequality that needs to be addressed and believe that property tax is

not an adequate way to fund schools as it decreases opportunities for children living in

impoverished communities. When looking at the larger picture, poverty and school funding

exposes the underlying issue of social injustice in America.

How schools keep children in poverty

In the following TED talk video, Kandice Sumner, a Boston public school teacher asks

the question, "Why should a good education be exclusive to rich kids?" She believes that we've

been looking at the achievement gap in education all wrong. She encourages the audience to flip

their paradigm and language and call the achievement gap what it really is, an education debt. As

a teacher, Kandice Sumner sees the disparity every day in her classroom and uses her experience

to serve as an eye opener for others. This inspiring talk is an effort by Sumner to take a plunge

forward in an effort to bring forth awareness and change.

Comment [Office6]: Suggestion from Malcolm to add in

brief descriptions of videos

*Insert Video*

The Cycle

Add visual representation

Poverty lower property tax less $ for local school no resources lower

education lower performance rate/ dropout repeat

SCHOOL FUNDING

Schools within the public education system are financed through a combination of local,

state, and federal funds. This is where the issue with school funding begins. Although public

schools are financed through a combination of funds, they are primarily funded by local funds

which come mostly from property taxes. The problem with a school-funding system that relies so

heavily on property taxes is that it creates an imbalance. Property values vary from community to
community which result in poorer communities receiving less money for their schools.

Data collected from my teacher survey shows that 60% of public school teachers think property

tax is NOT an adequate way to fund schools. I found it interesting to note that the majority of

teachers who said no, work at Title 1 schools while the teachers who said yes, do not.

*insert screenshot of survey

Each year unfair and inequitable school funding deprives millions of students of an equal
opportunity for academic success. Reports over the past five years show minimal improvement,
showing no substantial efforts from the system to change the inadequacy and injustice in the
distribution process of school funding which is done state by state. The research provided on this
website was conducted in order to stress the value of equal school funding and the negative
impacts it can have upon students academically when not distributed properly.

*insert screenshot of survey

Unfortunately, in today's society being born into poverty there are limited opportunities to
escape. When someone is born into poverty they are born into a vicious cycle. Children in
poverty often experience hunger, poor health and poor living conditions, which leads to a lack of
education. Student's receive a lack of education because they are assigned to schools in
impoverished areas that have limited opportunities. The lack of opportunities essentially
contributes to the result of low income. This cycle then repeats itself making it hard to escape, as
the cycle is not set up to achieve greatness but rather thrown into a cycle that is set up to fail.
This vicious cycle is demonstrated below in order to gain a clearer visual.

*insert chart visual

WHY IT MATTERS

Although education equality may seem of concern to only a small group of teachers, it should in
fact concern anyone who cares about children and serving justice. My argument that all children
should have access to the same opportunities in education, should interest those who have
children of their own. Beyond this limited audience, however, my point should speak to anyone
who cares about the larger issue of carrying out justice.

How is money budgeted in the United States?

Introduction into rich v. poor

Racial divide
 Less money = lower education

Data Charts

How much public v. charter schools receive

Low v. high poverty public schools receive

Per pupil comparison

Local school comparisons

*include relevant data from teacher survey on web page*

THE CONTROVERSY

It has become common today to dismiss injustice as many people tend to overlook

it entirely. Some believe that there is no inequality in the education system that needs to

be addressed while others believe there are countless issues that contribute to the overall

injustice in the school system. Those who believe that there is an injustice in the school

system will admit that achievement gaps are concerning and are the fault of other

underlying issues. While some believe that in order to address the achievement gap we

must first address inequities in health, housing, and income, opposers feel that students

lack of academic success can be attributed to broad and undefined notions of culture,

parental influence, and rap music. The opposing views are discussed in their entirety in

the novel, Creating the Opportunity to Learn by A. Wade Boykin and Pedro Noguera.

According to the teacher survey I conducted, 26.7% of local public school teachers
disagreed that there is inequality in the school system that needs to be addressed.

However, when asked if property tax decreases opportunities for children living in

impoverished communities, 66.7% said yes or somewhat. Therefore, how can you agree

to a statement that exposes education inequality and then disagree that there is inequality

in the school system.

*insert screenshot data

*insert screenshot data

In conclusion, then, as I suggested earlier, opposers of education injustice can't have it both
ways. Their assertion that there is no inequality in the school system is contradicted by their
claim that property tax does decrease opportunities for children in impoverished areas.

Although there are opposing views I believe that is important to emphasize the importance of
ensuring that all children have an equal opportunity to a quality education. By doing so, it
benefits not only those students but our economy and society as a whole.

THE IMPACT

When discussing the importance of an equal education, one cant help but wonder if

students realize when social injustice is happening right before their eyes. Do students notice?

Well, it all depends. As children become older they are able to distinguish the differences

between what is right and wrong, as well as what is fair and unfair. Students at racially diverse

schools, particularly African American and Hispanic students, are more tuned in to injustice than

students going to school with peers that look like them. Students who attend more diverse

schools gain different experiences and perspectives that they can share with one another

regardless of boundaries such as race, class and gender. I can personally attest to this statement
as well as, that diversity in the student body is educationally valuable because my experience at

the University of North Carolina at Charlotte confirms it. These experiences give students a

fuller sense of how the world operates. However, students who attend less diverse schools are

less aware of injustice and often turn a blind eye to situations they cannot relate to or havent

experienced. Although being tuned into injustice can be a good thing, it can be bad as well.

Unfortunately, racial segregation has come back to public education with a vengeance. In
Charlotte, North Carolina, public schools have lumbered backward, segregating once again by
race and class, producing separate and unequal outcomes for students. Charlotte-Mecklenburg
public schools are more segregated now than they have ever been in the past 20 years. It doesn't
come as a surprise but students in our public school system who come from lower class families
attend schools that lack resources, creating a desperate need for programs such as tutoring,
recreational activity, etc.

Schools in low-income neighborhoods across the US, specifically in communities of color, lack

resources that are standard at wealthier schools. Things like sports teams, academic classes, new

books, musical instruments, and athletic fields are often times missing from schools in

impoverished communities which have a real impact on the potential of students.

Students who attend schools in lower income areas and are able to recognize the apparent

differences between their school and wealthier schools, may experience the feeling of

discouragement and confusion. Seeing wealthier schools being provided with more advanced

technology and resources often times discourages students causing them to give up out of

frustration and lack of feeling important to society.

Below I have provided data from a teacher survey I conducted in which 60% of public school
teachers agreed that students from higher income families are presented with more educational
opportunities than children from lower income families. Validating that students from wealthier
families receive more opportunities due to funding, etc. I agree that students from lower income
families do not receive the same opportunities, a point that needs emphasizing since so many
people still believe funding schools from property tax is an adequate way to fund schools. In
addition, 46.7% agreed that if they were more efficient resources/technology at their school,
students would be more engaged in learning. Similarly, 40% agreed that better resources would
increase attendance in the classroom. Lastly 46.7% agreed that if they had better resources they
would be able to provide their students with a better education. These results further validate the
importance of education equality because when children do not receive the same opportunities, it
decreases their likelihood to attend school and pay attention.

Take a look below at the video which shows a social experiment conducted to see real life
repercussions of social inequality.

*insert data images

Result achievement gap, dropout, etc.

Children suffer as a result of issues that are far beyond their control

Which children are suffering more?

Include Oprah experiment video

*include relevant data from teacher survey on web page*

As a result of education inequality, students suffer on a daily basis. It is abundantly clear that
students from particular ethnic groups, more specifically many African Americans students, do
not perform well in the United States schooling system. This concern cries out for immediate,
sustained and profound attention. While the current education system may not appear harmless,
recent studies conducted by the U.S. Department of Education NAEP have shown that there are
substantial achievement gaps that have yet to be resolved after five decades. In 1964, a report
from the Department of Education was mandated by the Civil Rights Act to examine the
inequality of educational opportunities in an effort to gauge the differences between schools
attended by white students and black students. The report exposed that white students in the 12th
grade performed 87% higher on testing than African American students in the 12th grade.
Despite efforts over the past fifty years, the achievement gap has yet to be narrowed as white
students are still performing 81% higher than African American students. The lack of equality
associated with educational opportunities has since created a dispute between individuals as well
as ethnic groups as a whole.

To read more upon the controversy of education inequality and the achievement gap, click here.

In the following video, Oprah Winfrey features a story which shows a significant contrast in two
school facilities. Students from Harper, a Chicago public high school, exchange places for day
with students at Neuqua Valley, a suburban school in Chicago. Harper High School graduates
just 40% of its 1,500 students. Meanwhile, Neuqua Valley High School, a $65 million facility,
graduates 99% of its students.

*insert video

HOW TO HELP

If you are interested in helping students in need, support a classroom. Teachers all over the U.S.
need your help to provide students with fun classroom activities, books, seating, etc. Donors
Choose is a great organization in which you can choose a classroom out of thousands to help
them reach a goal for a project they are trying to fund. Donations are accepted in any amount
whether it is $2 or $2,000. Please consider supporting a classroom to help children receive a
quality education. Although this will not solve the issue of education equality it is a chance to
make a start.

I hope that by advocating for the unheard children and raising awareness to this injustice, people
will rally together to summon the will and finish the difficult task of providing equitable
education for all students in America.

TEACHER SURVEY Comment [Office7]: Data is used throughout the EIP.

1. Are you aware of how public schools are funded in the United States? If so, briefly

explain.

2. Agree/ Disagree

o There is inequality in the school system that needs to be addressed.

o Students are treated differently by the school system based on their race.

o Students are treated differently by the school system based on their family

income.

o Needs of minority students are dealt with in a timely manner.

o Needs of white students are put before students who are non-white.
3. Public school funding in the United States comes from federal, state, and local sources, but

nearly half of those funds come from local property taxes.

Do you think that property tax is an adequate way to fund schools?

Do you think that by funding schools from property tax we decrease opportunities for

children living in impoverished communities?

Do you think that students who attend charter or private schools receive a better

education?

Do you think that students who attend charter or private schools receive more educational

opportunities?

4. How many students in your classroom do you estimate live at or below the poverty line?

Of these students, how many are:

o Caucasian?

o African American?

o Hispanic?

o Other?

5. How many times do you find yourself not being able to fund an activity for the classroom?

6. How many times does lack of funding prohibit you from being able to teach a certain activity/

topic in the classroom ?

7. Do you think that the school system allows for children living in poverty to receive the same
 educational opportunities as students who are not?

8. Do you believe that the school system does a good job of creating an equal education for each

student regardless of race, economics, etc?

9. How satisfied are you with the resources available to your students at your school?

10. Agree/ Disagree

If there were more efficient resources/ technology at my school, my students would be

more engaged in learning

If there were more efficient resources at my school students would be more likely to

attend

If there were more efficient resources at my school I would be able to provide my

students with a more advanced education

11. Agree/Disagree

If I worked at a charter or private school I feel that I would receive more financial help

with funding activities for my students.

If I worked at a charter or private school I feel that I would be able to provide my

students with a better education.

If I worked at a charter or private school I feel that my students needs would be addressed

in a more timely manner.

If I worked at a charter or private school I feel that my students would be seen as more

important.
12. Agree/ Disagree

Students from higher income families are presented with more educational opportunities

than children from lower income families.

13. Do you teach at a title I School?

14. What school do you teach at? (optional)

WEBSITE ADDRESS:

ensuringeducationequality.weebly.com
 Works Cited

Anderson, Meg. Your School Shapes How You Think About Inequality. Review of Unequal

City, by Carla Shedd, National Public Radio, 14 Nov. 2015.

Boykin, A. Wade, and Pedro Noguera. Creating the Opportunity to Learn. ACSD, 2011.

Cho, Seonhee, Jacqueline T. McDonnough. Social Inequality in Education: A Constraint on an

American High-Skills Future. Journal of Science Teacher Education, pp.385-402.

http://www.tandfonline.com.librarylink.uncc.edu/doi/full/10.1111/j.1467-

873X.2007.00390.x?scroll=top&needAccess=true. Accessed 10 Mar. 2017.

Teach First. www.teachfirst.org.uk. Accessed 13 Mar. 2017.