Report: More Equity Needed in K–12 Education

A new research project from Scholastic finds that the overwhelming majority of educators (97 percent) agree that “equity in education for all children should be a national priority.”

Teachers and principals also agree (87 percent) that “many of their students face barriers to learning that come from outside the school environment.” While a greater percentage of educators in high-poverty schools (98 percent) report having students with barriers, 66 percent say the same in low-poverty schools.

The Teacher & Principal School Report, released Thursday, surveyed more than 4,700 public school pre-K–12 teachers and principals representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Some other key findings include:

  • Both teachers and principals are spending their own money to help meet students’ needs. On average during the past year, teachers in high-poverty schools spent $672, and teachers in low poverty schools spent $495;
  • Principals in high-poverty schools spent $1,1014, and principals in low-poverty schools spent $514;
  • Only 46 percent of teachers in high-poverty schools received discretionary funds from their school, district or parent-teacher organizations, compared to 61 percent of teachers in low-poverty schools;
  • Teachers identified their top five funding priorities to address barriers to learning. Forty-seven percent said they needed technology devices and digital resources in school;
  • Forty-eight percent of teachers and 39 percent of principals said access to the Internet and other learning resources outside of school is not adequately available for their students; and
  • Among teachers and principals, 65 percent in high-poverty schools and 57 percent in mid-high-poverty schools said access to the Internet and other learning resources outside of school is not adequately available for their students.

The full report is available on the Scholastic website. Downloadable infographics are also available on Scholastic’s media site.

About the Author

Richard Chang is associate editor of THE Journal. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Case Systems makerspace

    Case Systems Launches Line of K–12 Makerspace Installations

    Case Systems recently announced the launch of SALTO, a line of classroom fixtures and installations for K–12 learning spaces like STEM labs, art rooms, and makerspaces. The product line is designed to provide teachers with flexibility and adaptability, enabling them to shift between collaborative and individual learning environments.

  • An elementary school teacher and young students interact with floating holographic screens displaying colorful charts and playful data visualizations in a minimalist classroom setting

    New AI Collaborative to Explore Use of Artificial Intelligence to Improve Teaching and Learning

    Education-focused nonprofits Leading Educators and The Learning Accelerator have partnered to launch the School Teams AI Collaborative, a yearlong pilot initiative that will convene school teams, educators, and thought leaders to explore ways that artificial intelligence can enhance instruction.

  • A top-down view of a person walking through a maze with walls made of glowing blue Wi-Fi symbols on dark pathways

    Navigating New E-Rate Rules for WiFi Hotspots

    Beginning in funding year 2025, WiFi hotspots will be eligible for E-rate Category One discounts. Here's what you need to know about your school's eligibility, funding caps, tracking requirements, and more.

  • futuristic VR goggles with blue LED accents, placed in front of a fantastical landscape featuring glowing hills, a shimmering river, and floating islands under a twilight sky

    Los Angeles Unified School District Adopts VR Learning Platform, Resources

    Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) recently announced a partnership with Avantis Education to bring educational virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) solution ClassVR to its students. A news release reports that the district has already deployed more than 16,000 ClassVR headsets as part of the Los Angeles Unified Instructional Technology Initiative.