Equity in Education: Existing Issues and the Struggle to Overcome

Equity ensures that all students, no matter their disability, gender, socioeconomic status, class, geographic location, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, English language ability, religion, or national origin, will have the opportunity and knowledge to reach their highest potential. The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals include a commitment to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all. Prior to Covid-19, progress towards this goal was too slow and these disparities have been greatly exacerbated, with marginalized children affected the most. Dr. Heather Bennett will speak on the continued efforts to ensure equity in education and the many challenges to achieving this goal.

Dr. Heather Bennett is the Director of Equity Services at the Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA). In this role she assists public school boards and districts with equity focused tools, programming, and research. Dr. Bennett received her PhD in Educational Leadership at Penn State University, where she conducted research in and programming on K-12 and higher education equity issues across Pennsylvania. She also obtained her Juris Doctorate from Penn State Dickinson School of Law. Her scholarship and practice focus on the intersection of education, law, and policy, primarily focusing on the impact of school and housing policies on the educational experiences and opportunities of marginalized students, families, and communities