Importance Of Equity In Education

We live in a world where everyone is different in their own ways. Whether it's your personality, ethnicity, appearance, it all comes together to make you unique. The definition of Equity means to be fair, and the meaning of access means entrance. Equity in Education is defined as "a necessary component in narrowing the achievement gap. Teachers and school leaders ensure Equity by recognizing, respecting, and attending to the diverse strengths and challenges of the students they serve" (California Department of Education). Education has been around for a long time, but not special Education. There was a time when a kid with a disability could not have a free public education. Special laws and regulations have played a crucial role in the struggle to establish and ensure inclusive learning environments in special Education.  

Special Education is a form of learning for those who have a physical disability or emotional and behavioral difficulty. For many decades, students with some disabilities were not taken into consideration and often mistaken for being possessed. Besides being mistaken for being possessed, they were often called and are still being called "children with special needs" rather than "individuals with disabilities" (Gernsbacher, Morton Ann et al. 2016). Being called something they didn't wish is one of the many ways society was and is still showing exclusion. Individuals with a disability have been looked down on for years, and it continues to be a long history of lack of understanding. Special Education, now often referred to as inclusion special education, in its earliest form, was only happening in that child's home; if not there, they were institutionalized. There were times where those with mild to minor disabilities could attend special education programs, but they were either private or residential, and, of course, they came with a fee. Many parents, though, couldn't afford to place their children into private programs. Instead, what they decided to do is come together to form a goal, it being securing public Education for their children and speaking to various teachers, community members, and even politicians. In other words, they became advocates. Different advocacy groups were formed throughout the years including, The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) in 1922. According to Arkansas State University who published What Is the Council for Exceptional Children?, CEC is "the largest internationally recognized professional organization devoted to improving the educational experience of students with gifts and talents or disabilities." being able to have their voice heard was the beginning, the beginning of their views genuinely being considered. In 1965 the Elementary and Secondary Education Act was enacted by the United States Department of Education; this act allowed schools to receive fundings for those with low-income students. This act, however, was not an act that required educating all students with disabilities. "The first five years of the ESEA demonstrated some inherent issues regarding money, religion, race, and federal-state-local relations within the law, as predicted by the opponents of federal aid. The original hope was that, once schools received money, the school systems would reform and reach out to those children who neglected the system for so long" (Paul 2016).

 Although it wasn't where they wished to be, having funding go towards placement programs was the first step to a great outcome. The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (Public Law 94-142) of 1975 is a law that requires all public schools that receive federal funds to provide equal access to Education to every child from ages 3 to 21 with a physical or emotional disability. Along with this public law being introduced, Individual Education Plans were also a huge requirement. The article, what is an IEP? Defines an IEP as a legal written document that is developed for each public school child (Baumel MS). To have an IEP, a child must be eligible for Special Education. What's included in an IEP are things like statements that show the level of educational performance, short/long-term goals, services that the child needs, etc.; overall, it will benefit the student. The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and rehabilitative services also called OSERS' (2010), points out, "U.S. schools educated only one in five children with disabilities, and many states had laws excluding certain students from school, including children who were deaf, blind, emotionally disturbed, or mentally retarded." Even with The Education for All Handicapped Children Act, it still wasn't enough. There was still a barrier in accessing free public Education. The Education for All Handicapped Children Act soon changed its name in 1990 to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. With the change of name, the policies began to change as well. Everything began to change for the better; IDEA was now structured into six parts. The different sections in IDEA were Individualized Education Program (IEP), Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE), Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), Appropriate Evaluation, Parent and Teacher Participation, and Procedural Safeguards. After IDEA was founded in 1990, in 2002, the No Child left behind act began, but shortly after ended in 2015. This law was two-sided and was a development to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Alyson Klein mentions that the "American education system was no longer internationally competitive—significantly increased the federal role in holding schools responsible for the academic progress of all students" (Klein). This act ended in 2015 due to backlash. Many schools spent more time testing and received the scores they didn't want. In 2004, IDEA was looked at again and had established a new policy which was requiring "highly qualified" special education teachers. 

Today, Special Education has evolved tremendously compared to 50 years ago; there have been many great opportunities and there has been lots of improvement. It is no surprise that today more students with a disability are accomplishing milestones they probably wouldn't have been able to if it weren't for IDEA. One example is graduating from high school. Although the numbers aren't as high compared to all high school students who graduate, graduating is still a huge milestone. In fact, Heasley (2019) claims, "For the 2016-2017 school year, the graduation rate for those with disabilities reached 67.1 percent. That's up from 65.5 percent the previous year and represents the sixth year in a row that the rate has increased." This is great as it allows society to see what they are capable of doing. As there are pros, there are still cons special education students face, and have been facing since the beginning, For many students, school is the only time they get to socialize, but it can get hard for those with disabilities as there is a higher level of bullying. Educationalpost.Org mentions, "Children with disabilities or special needs are at an up to 63 percent greater risk than their peers of being victims of bullying. While a bully may target any child, it is well documented that those who are perceived as different are at a greater risk" (Granados). While some people are against special education students receiving equal treatment, it should be seen as an essential and life-changing topic as it advocates a beginning to inclusion, opportunities, and, most importantly, a quality education. 

After reviewing the past events, special Education faced, one can see how important every step has been to ensure Equity and access. Without establishing the different laws mentioned, children with disabilities would have faced a lifetime of exclusion and unfairness. Much work has been done these past 50 years, but there's always room for improvement and growth. One specific thing we as a society can work on is the stereotypes about people with disabilities; we need to change the way we see and treat them. Their community has already faced many challenges, and we don't want to remind them of those horrific times.