The Equity Line contains original analyses, commentary, and “on the ground” stories of students, parents, educators, and activists all over the nation striving to improve education. It chronicles our efforts, as well as those of partners and friends who are working toward the shared goal of closing gaps.
How Borrowers Should Prepare for Student Loan Payments to Resume
by Jaylon HerbinAfter a three-year pause, student loan payments will resume in October. The timeline for payments restarting was part of negotiations for the debt-limit deal t…
How the Supreme Court Decision Blocking Student Loan Forgiveness Affects Black Women Like Me
by Deiondria Lee-SandersOn two consecutive days in June, the Supreme Court delivered devastating blows to federal education equity efforts aimed at helping students of color and stude…
It’s Time for a Federal Ban on Hair Discrimination
by Ena WalkerIn the summer of my senior year, my private school updated its dress codes and introduced a ban on the use of head wraps, except for religious purposes. This n…
Refocusing on Resource Equity Provisions in ESSA Can Spur School Improvement Efforts
by Nicholas Munyan-PenneyAs our advocate partners know well, students of color and students from low-income backgrounds are significantly more likely to attend schools with fewer resou…
Dismantling the School-to-Prison Pipeline: The Ending PUSHOUT Act’s Focus on Black Girls
by Vanessa VargasIn Florida, a school resource officer (SRO) arrested Kaia, a Black kindergartener for having a tantrum, attempting to charge her with battery (see video). In N…
Building a Network for Educational Equity: Uniting Practices, Perspectives, and Power
by Morgan Scribner and Nicole WilliamsThe current political climate in the United States education system is highly polarized, with several contentious issues, including so-called critical race the…
The Importance of Developing, Supporting and Retaining Local Community Teachers of Color
by José Alfredo Menjivar Ortéz, Ph.D.As a bilingual Latino teacher of color, lifelong public school student, and education advocate my entire life in New York City, I never could see anyone that I…
Teranga Academy: Social, Emotional, and Academic Development as an Integral Part of Refugee Education
by Manny ZapataWhen I was in elementary school, I held onto this idea of getting good grades so I could go to a good college and eventually get a good job. But as I got older…
Who Are Your Influencers? Ed Trust’s Guides Help Advocates Identify Decisionmakers
by Shayna LevitanThis summer, education advocates across the country are busy developing, refining, and sustaining their priorities for the next school year. Foundational to st…
District-Nonprofit STEM Partnership Challenges Maryland Middle Schoolers to Invent A More Diverse Future
by Cara LesserIn a region populated with aerospace and biohealth employers, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) observed some years ago that lower-income Black and Latin…
Concerned About NAEP Long-Term Trend Results? There is a Path Forward
The recent NAEP long-term trend results are a concerning confirmation of the effect of unfinished learning on Black and Latino students and students from low-i…
Student Advocates in Texas Play a Major Role in Passing of Community College Finance Law
by Hope BarrónIn Texas, a new law has passed that will change the game for community college students in the Lone Star State. The bi-partisan passage of House Bill 8 (HB8), …
Profile in Education Equity: Augustus Mays, VP for Partnerships & Engagement at Ed Trust
Augustus Mays is Ed Trust’s vice president for Partnerships and Engagement (P&E). He will coordinate Ed Trust’s P-12 and higher-ed policy agenda to ensure …
Joint Blog Post Regarding H.R. 1741
by Ed TrustOn March 23rd, Rep. Jamaal Bowman introduced H.R 1741, which would amend the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to significantly scale back state summative asse…
Ed Trust’s Founder Shares Insights and the Keys to Effective Advocacy
by Denise ForteEducation Trust founder Kati Haycock (left) onstage with President and CEO Denise Forte (right)I’m not really the fangirl type. I mean, I love my Duke Blue De…
Middle School Math Should be a Door Opener, not a Gatekeeper
All students are “math people.” Yet often, the current ways in which math is taught often leaves many Black and Latino students out of the equation. All studen…
Tennessee Students Advocate at the State Capitol
by Ed TrustAt the Tennessee State Capitol, a group of high school and college students representing the EmpowerED initiative at Ed Trust - Tennessee recently had the oppo…
The Protecting Our Students in Schools Act and the Keeping All Students Safe Act Will Protect Students
by Nancy Duchesneau and Blair WristonAt a time when Americans are increasingly worried about external threats to the health and safety of children in schools, state-sanctioned violence at the hand…
Very Few Black Women Lead School Districts. These Superintendents Are Using the Power of Sisterhood to Change That
During Teacher Appreciation Week, a group of Black women superintendents gathered at The Education Trust’s national headquarters in Washington, DC, to discuss …
The Importance of Equitable and Adequate School Funding for English Learners
I have been involved in the topic of school funding with an emphasis on English learners since my doctoral dissertation. I was fortunate to be trained by Dr. R…