Equity in Our Schools

An equitable education system helps all students develop the knowledge and skills they need to be engaged, productive members of society regardless of individual circumstances and disadvantage. Hawaii DOE Superintendent Christina Kishimoto, Ed.D., has identified promises to our students to be achieved in every public school by 2030, organized around five themes.

“The equity promise is that students will experience strong relationships and supports that mitigate disempowering differences to enable them to thrive academically, socially and civically” (DOE 10-year promise plan).

Equity begins with schools being welcoming, inclusive, nurturing places where students feel safe, comfortable and eager to learn. School counselors play an integral role in equally valuing all students and their unique potential. School counselors are natural advocates for the equitable treatment of all students in school and in the community.

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) is the national professional organization dedicated to growth and enhancement of the school counseling profession. The ASCA National Model is a data-driven comprehensive framework that supports school counselors by providing best practices to help support all students’ academic, career and social/emotional development to achieve maximum success within a comprehensive student support framework so they may lead fulling and responsible lives. According to ASCA, school counselors promote equitable treatment of all students by:

• Using data to identify gaps in achievement, opportunity and attainment
• Advocating for rigorous course and higher education for underrepresented groups
• Maintaining professional knowledge of the ever-changing and complex world of student’s culture
• Maintaining knowledge and skills for working in a diverse and multicultural work setting
• Informing school staff of changes regarding different groups within the community
• Promoting the development of school policies leading to equitable treatment of all students and opposing school policies hindering equitable treatment of any student
• Promoting access to rigorous, standards-based curriculum, academic courses and learning paths for college and career for all students
• Developing plans to address over- or underrepresententation of specific groups in programs such as special education, honors, Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate
• Creating an environment that encourages any student or group to feel comfortable to come forward with problems
• Collaborating with families seeking assistance services for financial literacy, job skills, placement and free services as well as providing parents educational opportunities to assist them in supporting their student’s education
• Acting as a liaison between home and school promoting an understanding and encouraging creative solutions for students handling multiple responsibilities beyond a typical load

Read the complete ASCA position statement, “The School Counselor and Equity for All Students.”

In the Hawaii DOE, school counselors represent the values of Na Hopena A’o that guide our department though their delivery of the array of supports they offer students. The outcomes of BREATH – belonging, responsibility, sense of excellence, sense of aloha and total well-being – are demonstrated through social/emotional programming; positive behavioral interventions and supports; crisis prevention; individual, group, whole school, college and career counseling; and the parent and community outreach that is often driven by school counselors within the school design.
 
Maureen Ikeda Evans is an educational specialist in primary prevention and intervention with the Hawaii State Department of Education Office of Student Support Services; contact her at maureen.ikeda@k12.hi.us.