EDSN 518 - Using Data to Understand Inequities in Schools

Inequities in education are sometimes easy to spot, like when a special education classroom has a disproportionate number of boys or minorities. But more frequently, inequity is not so apparent. Looking closely at student data points such as demographics, enrollment, attendance, and discipline can often tell a deeper, richer story about inequities that may exist in your school that you may not otherwise be aware of.

In this course, you will learn about the systemic inequities students often face, and strategies for talking about them with school leaders, teachers, and parents. Through a range of data sets, you’ll explore common areas of inequity at a national level, and reflect on your own school or community’s practices to support all students. You’ll also discover several tools and strategies you can use to uncover potential issues of inequity in your own district, school, or classroom; how to interpret data findings through an equity lens; and how to design an action plan based on these findings.

With the tools and strategies from this course, you’ll be able to uncover hard-to-see inequities in your school or district and create data-driven solutions that inspire everyone involved to help students succeed.