We have to act now.
Educational Equity
We Have To Act Now
School closures and virtual learning have shone a spotlight on the inequities in the US education system. From access to technology to the internet, to basic supplies, to child care, America’s most vulnerable students are facing unprecedented challenges. We are here, to help you ground your students in an understanding about these disparities and what they can do to combat them in their own communities.
20%
"The persistent achievement disparities across income levels and between white students and students of black and Hispanic heritage. School shutdowns could not only cause disproportionate learning losses for these students (students of black and Hispanic heritage)—compounding existing gaps—but also lead more of them to drop out. This could have long-term effects on these children's long-term economic well-being and on the US economy as a whole... We estimate that this would exacerbate existing achievement gaps by 15 to 20 percent." - McKinsey and Company
Community Voices. Real Empathy.
Introduce your students to important themes about Educational Equity by having them listen to one of our many podcasts featuring the real voices of those affected by the issue.
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DFC USA students think globally and act locally.
Help students kick start their project by introducing them to the UN Global Goals and encouraging them to consider these goals as they work together to design innovative solutions.
For the theme of Education Equity, students may consider the following UN Global Goals or select their own. To learn more about the UN Global Goals, check out The World’s Largest Lesson.
Design for Change In Action
Students from The Pine Ridge Reservation Address 70% High School Dropout Rate
Students from the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, worked to both understand and find solutions to combat the 70% high school dropout rate in their community. They then advocated in front of parents, teachers and district leaders for better activities to keep young people engaged. Documenting the stories of elders, crafting nights and athletics were some of the ideas they proposed. The student team went on to represent Design for Change USA at the annual DFC Global Conference in India.
