Educational Equity and
Science and Mathematics
Raynice Jean-Sigur, Ph.D.
Educational Equity
 Inequality still exists in today’s schools
– De facto segregation ( housing patterns and
flight of middle class population from urban
areas)
 Equality of the results, and equality of
opportunity
History of Educational Equity
 50 year period search for equality and
search for community
 Brown vs. Board of Education-banished
separate but equal in education; start of
integration of schools; basis for many other
court cases for equality for students and
education
Educational Projections
 By the year 2020, European American
students will be a minority in the nation’s
schools
 2000-2005 period, Latino and African
American and other minority students in
urban areas will experience a form of de
facto segregated schooling because of such
factors as housing and immigration patterns,
white flight, escalating violence.
What is Equity?
 It is logical and has different interpretations
 It should be defined by the way it will guide
the work needed
 The interpretation of the definition may
cause debate
 The interpretation may vary across settings
Definitions of Equity
 Method of distributing resources to groups and is
linked to excellence regardless of race, ethnicity,
economic status etc (Sirotnick)
 Providing children with and educational
opportunity and what they find when they arrive at
that opportunity (Eisner)
 Equity is not to be confused with sameness in
education or equality or identical experiencesequity my require different treatment according to
relevant differences. (Bennett)
More on Equity
 Equity for minority students can be achieved
through school wide reform
– Examine quality and nature of school curriculum for
diverse student body and high quality programs for all
students
– Classroom teachers should reflect on their
•
•
•
•
•
Self-knowledge
Knowledge of cultural values and behavior codes of students
Knowledge of learning and teaching
Cross-cultural communication and skills (Gay)
Educational Equity Exists When
Certain Conditions Exist
Physical and financial conditions-students should
have the opportunity to study in schools that are
similar in terms of physical dimensions,
attractiveness, educational equipment and safety.
Money spend on students education should be
equivalent
Quality of teachers should be similar
Educational Outcomes should be similar
Opportunity to learn should be equivalent
Statistics on Science and
Mathematics
 African Americans make up 12% of population
but only 5 % hold bachelor’s degrees and 1% have
Ph.D. in math and science. Only 2% are employed
as scientists and engineers
 Hispanic Americans make up 9% of population
yet 0.3% hold bachelor’s degrees and holy 0.11%
have Ph.D. is science and engineering. 0.3% are
scientists and engineers
 Women represent 43% of population but only 22%
have bachelor’s degrees and only 13% have Ph.D.
in mathematics and science. 10% of all scientists
and engineers.
Why underrepresentation?
 Negative attitudes toward math and science
 Limited extra curricular activities around
math and science
 Lack of information about science related
careers
 Test scores
 Lack of role models
What can teachers do?
 Exposure to famous scientists and
mathematicians and role models
 Encourage diversity and science and math
 Exposure to extra curricular activities and
science and math
 Include diverse learning styles in teaching
 Provide workshops and assistance with
science and math concepts