Equity Matters

Dr Elizabeth WoodProfessor of Education

University of Exeter

1. How do unions conceptualize equity in education?

2. How are these concepts implemented, as evidenced in unions’ practices and policies?

3. What are the issues for teachers, with regards to the concepts of equity?

4. How can Education International contribute to the international debate on equity in ways that benefit members?

Horizontal and vertical equity (Brown, 2006)

• Horizontal: equal treatment of those who are equal. This is a starting point and precondition that can be used to achieve equity. It is a means, not just an end.

• Vertical: unequal but equitable treatment of those who are not equal, which is designed to reduce inequality.

Trading up:equity and quality?

Trading-off :equity versus quality?

Horizontal -desirable

Vertical – most desirable

The best performing countries (PISA, 2009) manage to provide high quality education to students across the ability range.

Equity is an intrinsic value in unions’ goals and policies

Goals and policies combine horizontal and vertical equity statements

Include supra-national goals such as OECD/UNFocus mainly on national goals and prioritiesBroad agreement across respondents about

priorities (gender, funding and resources, CoS, SEN and Disabilities)

Global, regional, national economic forces impact on what can be achieved

Main equity goals for teachers

Career opportunities

Conditions of Service

Pay

Main equity goals for children Access to education

Opportunities to achieve

Access to resources

RESOURCESHumanMaterial

Financial Not just MORE but BETTER-TARGETED RESOURCES

Milner (2010) – the achievement gap

Quality childcare

Affordable housing

Funding and

resources

Teacher quality and

teacher education

Health care

School integration

Health and

nutrition

Wealth and

income

Curriculum access & relevance

Digital divide

ACHIEVEMENTGAP

Employment opportunities

Gender

Quality childcare

Affordable housing

Funding and

resources

Teacher quality and

teacher education

Health care

School integration

Health and

nutrition

Wealth and

income

Curriculum access & relevance

Digital divide

EQUITY GAP

Employment

opportunities

gender

Holistic (versus) targeted goals and policies?

1. Germany – new EO legislation means improvements need to be made in providing access for children with SE needs and disabilities.

2. Poland – equity for LGBT community is constrained by the influence of the Catholic Church.

3. Patterns of employment – mainly females in primary education BUT mainly males in positions of responsibility.

4. Ireland – impact of global financial crisis on EO, e.g. Withdrawal of funding for outreach programmes for Gypsy.Roma,Traveller communities.

5. Low levels of education for females in Primary and Secondary means fewer opportunities to build careers via tertiary education (plus rural/urban divide).

6. Barriers to leadership (not just gender)

Pro-active and re-active policy activity

Policy activity varies across holistic and fragmentary approaches. Unions have to be responsive to changing socio-economic and political contexts.

Threats to progress from economic downturn (across Very Highly Developed (HDI) countries).

Threats from neo-conservative trends – privatisation, marketisation, school choice, changing and eroding CoS for teachers.

Diversities within ‘Diversity’

Diversity is an ‘umbrella’ term which can mask specific areas of inequity and inequality.

Dimensions of diversity intersect to create negative or virtuous cycles. Each country reports ‘diversities’ – e.g. Children with physical disabilities can have high cognitive abilities. Being poor, female and high achiever at school.

Implications for EI and Unions’ Goals and Policies

Horizontal/vertical equity for teachers?

Horizontal/vertical equity for children?

Horizontal + vertical equity = quality?

PISA data – performance goals (versus) equity goals? What country-specific factors underpin the evidence? Why do more equal systems provide better results? And what are the implications for unions?

Responses and questions

Implications for unions’ goals and policiesImplications for EI

Other areas for future research?

Mechanisms by which unions engage with and influence policy makers and other stakeholders

‘Diversities within diversity’ – better understanding of the most marginalised groups