In pursuit of equity in education

Equity in education is a major policy concern everywhere. But there are significant differences among nations with respect to definitions and issues of equality and equity. While international comparison could help countries learn from each other, reliable tools for comparison are scarce.

In this book an interdisciplinary and international group of scholars makes a compelling case for better international equity indicators in education. A conceptual framework for a system of comparable indicators is proposed and a spectrum of findings and perspectives presented. This opens a dialogue on the definition, value and use of equity indicators across nations and over time.

Topics include: the sociology of equality and equity in education; the application of theories of justice to educational equity; the trade-off between effectiveness and equity; heterogeneous versus homogeneous classrooms; the influence of parental education; and the economics and demographics of metropolitan communities.

Sommaire

Part I: Theoretical Approaches and Conceptual Issues.

1. Equity and Education: A critical review of sociological research and thought; L. Benadusi.
2. Efficiency and Equity; M. Demeuse, et al.
3. School Equity as a Matter of Justice; D. Meuret.
4. Why Education Matters: Race, ethnicity, poverty and American school-equity research; D. Cochrane.

Part II: Equity Indicators: A Framework, A Rationale and Current Perspectives.

5. A System of Equity Indicators for Educational Systems; D. Meuret.
6. Why Data Collection Matters: The role of race and poverty indicators in American education; G. Orfield.
7. International Equity Indicators in Education and Learning in Industrialized Democracies: Some recent results and avenues for the future; T. Healy, D. Istance.
8. Monitoring Educational Disparities in Less Developed Countries; V. Cavicchioni, A. Motivans.

Part III: International Comparisons on Equity Issues.

9. Is There an Effectiveness-Equity Trade-off? A cross-country comparison using TIMSS test scores; V. Vandenberghe, et al.
10. Equity Indicators Based on the Provision of Supplemental Resources for Disabled and Disadvantaged Students; P. Evans.
11. Educational Equity: Social interactions might matter; V. Vandenberghe.
12. Intergenerational Inequities: A comparative analysis of the influence of parents' educational background on length of schooling and literacy skills; S. Noël, P. de Broucker.

Part IV: National Policies and the Use of Indicators.

13. Equity and Equivalence in the Swedish School System; A. Wildt-Persson, P.G. Rosengren.
14. Narrowing the Gap: Educational equity policy in Flanders; K. Dewitt, P. Van Petegem.
15. Economics and Demographics in Metropolitan Communities: An argument for international equity indicators; D. Cochrane. Index.