1. The Equity Imperative: Using Education as a Resource to Shape our Future
Pedro A. Noguera
Graduate School of Education and Information Studies
University of California, Los Angeles

2. Can education play a role in solving the major challenges confronting New Mexico and the US today?

3. Inequality is Growing
“The United States has become the most unequal country among the advanced industrial countries… what this means is the life chances of an individual are more dependent on the income and education of his parent than in other countries…people born in the bottom…will be more likely not to be able to live up to his potential.” —Joseph Stiglitz, June

5. Education and inequality are intertwined in New mexico

6. Quality Counts
New Mexico earned its worst grade, a D-minus, in achievement
Just 19.7 percent of students in grades showing proficiency in math
28.6 percent proficient in language arts on the most recent round of PARCC exams
Mississippi edged out New Mexico with a D-plus this year, earning a score of Nevada earned 65 — a D.

7. What must be done for schools to play a role in breaking the cycle of poverty? What must the state and districts do to improve education and expand access to opportunity?

8. The goal should be to eliminate barriers to learning for ALL students
Barriers Gone
EQUALITY – giving everyone the same, regardless of whether it is what they need or not EQUITY – giving everyone exactly what they need, when they need it.
You will have seen this image showing the difference between equality and equity.
What I am talking about goes further. It tells the truth about the realities for children in our education systems who are not from the dominant culture.
 and takes deliberate action to remove the barriers – caused by generations of systemic failure. That’s authentic critical, culturally sustaining pedagogy, that is about freedom.
THAT should be the norm for all our children, and all our efforts, and all our professional development has to genuinely target dismantling that fence, — which we put there, and seem to be happy to maintain.
If we can do that, then that’s a collaboration I might become more interested in.
I wish you all the best in identifying your White spaces.
Kia ora tatou.
The goal should be to eliminate barriers to learning for ALL students

9. Common Barriers to Equity
Unequal and inadequate resource allocation
Deficit orientation toward the culture of marginalized groups
Parents and community not treated as partners
Schools lack capacity to meet student needs
Education policies create constraints that limit the ability of educators and communities to undertake efforts to systemically address student needs

10. Schools must be given support to address challenges facing our children

11. An Equity Agenda
Prioritize allocating resources to enhance, extend and ensure learning opportunities for children
Set and maintain high standards for learning conditions
Community Schools – wrap around services, preschool and afterschool services
Transparency and mutual accountability
Local community must be engaged as partner
The language and culture of the children must be treated as resources to be cultivated and sustained

12. Schools improve when they focus on the five essential ingredients
- A coherent instructional guidance system – teachers plan together
- Ongoing development of the professional capacity of staff
- Strong parent-community-school ties
- A student-centered learning climate/culture
- Shared leadership to drive change

13. Students in control of learning at Hollenbeck Middle School, LA

14. Cultivating hope: Bronx Academy of Language and Technology

15. Countering the pull of the streets: David Banks, Founder of Eagle Academy

16. Building Capacity at SJHHS
Community building
Data-based decision making
School-community partnerships
Teacher empowerment
Students evaluate teachers
Results: 4th highest grad rate in LA, 95% college enrollment, no fights in 6 years

17. Educators Can Promote Equity by…
Cultivating Agency – Individual and collective through collaborative problem solving and problem posing education
Fostering Deeper Learning – By developing critical thinking, problem solving and curiosity.
Building social capital – creating bonds based on trust and solidarity between schools and the communities they serve.

18. Narrow vs. Broad Approach Narrow Broad
Focus on learning conditions/capacity building
Use assessment to diagnose
Develop teacher skills continuously
Focus on “whole child”
Hold all stake holders accountable
Treat parents as partners
Use discipline to develop character
Expand learning opportunities
Promote cooperation among schools
Use pressure/closure to foster accountability
Focus exclusively on achievement
Use test scores to rank
Adopt scripted teacher-proof curriculum
Hold principals/teachers accountable
Treat parents as consumers
Punitive discipline
Encourage competition among schools

19. We have been asking the wrong questions.
INSTEAD OF:
ASK:
How do we raise achievement?
How do we get students excited about learning?
How do we hold teachers accountable?
How do we close the achievement gap?

20. Three Horizons Transformation Innovation within The system
The schools we have