Presidents Letter: Supporting Equity

One of the themes at the ASCA conference this summer was equity in schools. We have all heard of equality...but equity? What exactly does that mean and how do we implement it at our schools? The definition of equity in education is: “Equity in education means that personal or social circumstances such as gender, ethnic origin or family background are not obstacles to achieving educational potential (definition of fairness) and that all individuals reach at least a basic minimum level of skills (definition of inclusion).” Equity and equality are both important! Equity is giving everyone what they need to be successful, while equality is treating everyone the same.
 
What does that mean for us as school counselors? That means that we do everything we can to identify and eliminate unfair biases, stereotypes or barriers that may limit full participation in our education system. That sounds like a daunting task. How do you eliminate other peoples’ biases, stereotypes and barriers so all students have an equal advantage?
 
ASCA spells out our role in the position statement “The School Counselor and  Equity for All Students.”
 
The following links offer resources to help us navigate our leadership role in our schools
 
Resources:
Increasing Equity for All Students
Equality Isn’t Equity: Every Student Needs a Great School Counselor
 
If you are an ASCA Member:
Support Underrepresented Students’ Academic Rigor
Interrupting Racism: Race & Equity in Your Program
Culturally Competent School Counseling – The Johari Window Model
 
Contact Rhonda Harper, NMSCA president, at nmscapresident@gmail.com.