Access and Equity in Public Education
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Introduction
It is essential to consider the fact that the welfare of different economies lies heavily upon
the systems and structures developed within a nation’s public education. Throughout the history
of America, it is essential to consider that the government has put emphasis in the provision of
equal and accessible high-quality free education in public schools since without this systems, the
ACCESS and EQUITY IN PUBLIC EDUCATION
way of life would be a disaster (Al-Lamki, 2002). Access and equity in public education
therefore remains one of the fundamental elements in the nation’s democratic system of
governance that is based upon the pillars of civic responsibilities and individual rights which
requires that there is an effective education system.
However, it is essential to consider that America is facing challenges in regards to the
provision of this democratic right. The nation has experienced challenges in ensuring that every
child in America has an access to an equalized public education (Willems, & Bossu, 2012). This
therefore requires that proper structures are developed to determine the areas that need to be
amended in order to develop an effective educational system in America. This paper therefore
seeks to conduct a literature review on the concept of equity and access to public education.
Equity and Access to Public Education
As determined, education remains one of the fundamental human rights that provides the
youths with the power to benefit from prosperity. Education has the capacity to break even the
poverty cycle, a factor that would impact the economic and social development of a nation (Al-
Lamki, 2002). This therefore determines that every citizen should benefit from the opportunities
presented by education that should be developed to meet their learning needs.
It is therefore essential to determine that the fulfilment of an accessible and equitable
educational therefore requires that appropriate approaches are developed towards empowering
the society to confer with the responsibility of respecting and building upon the collective
culture, spiritual and linguistic heritage including the promotion of education to impact the cause
of social justice, environmental protection, the tolerance towards political, social and religious
systems within the society (Al-Lamki, 2002).
ACCESS and EQUITY IN PUBLIC EDUCATION
Literature Review
The element of equal access and equity in education remains a fundamental issue in
American democracy. This notion is believed to have found origin from the scriptures according
to (Asplund, et.al.2008) where it is stated that all people are created equally before God and the
law, a factor that sets up the expectation that every individual has a right to influence the course
of democracy, and to reap the fruits of a good society through education (pp.262).
According to Bragg, & Durham (2012), over the past years, it has been noted that in
public education, the primary enrolments of students has grown significantly, a factor that
steadily represents an annual growth rate of 0.7%. It is however essential to consider the fact that
the enrolment of girls was noted to have grown faster as compared to that of boys (pp.107). The
male/female ratio of enrollment in America has over time faced the element of parity over time.
These differences in enrolments have therefore seen a single gender benefit from education as
compared to the other gender.
On the other hand, education should be considered as a great equalizer and ought to be
used to level the playing field with the aim of mitigating the increasing rates of inequality
Gilbert, & Heller (2013) supports this point by pointing out that education should be offered to
student irrespective of their color, race, gender, national origins, religion, and social status
(pp.418). Students in this case need to have access to educational resources that include strong
teachers, technological and instructional materials, safe school facilities, and extracurricular
programs.
A fair and equitable dispensation of education therefore remains one of the fundamental
ways that allows a state ensure that appropriate approaches have been put in place to improve
ACCESS and EQUITY IN PUBLIC EDUCATION
this objective. The manner in which the society educates the children touches the souls of
different citizens in most nations (Harper, Patton, & Wooden, 2009). This author therefore
alleges that in order to achieve an equitable access to public education, there is a need to equalize
resources, a factor that calls for the federal government in ensuring that funding’s are equitable
done in public schools. Additionally this view is supported by Kisker, & Oulcalt (2005) who
alleges that educational institutions also have an obligation in ensuring that a shared mission is
shared that would end the predictive value of class, gender, race, and special capacities of
students by articulating approaches of including the community and families in spurring this
process.
In accordance to the views of these authors, it is essential to consider that the common
theme that stands out across their views is in relation to the need for an equitable access to public
education that requires a collective approach in handling (Heilig, Reddick, Hamilton, & Dietz,
2010). The authors point that the federal government plays the central role in equitably funding
learning institutions, a factor that depicts that the element of equity I also impacted by the
manner in which institutions are funded. On the other hand, the authors also meet at an
agreement on the purposes of education that involves preparing the youths to grow in knowledge
and take their opportunities in the society.
It is however essential to consider the fact that the author’s views contrast in the manner
in which the element of equity and access can be achieved within educational institutions. Some
of the authors believe that the primary approach of ensuring that equity and access is achieved in
education is through the inclusion of different structures that include the society into solving this
problem (Leach, 2013). On the other hand, other authors believe that this factor can be achieved
when the state makes amends in it funding approaches. It is in this case essential to consider the
ACCESS and EQUITY IN PUBLIC EDUCATION
fact that a gap therefore stands in determining an effective approach of ensuring that the element
of equity and access is achieved in education.
Conclusion
As determined in this study, the welfare of different economies lies heavily upon the
systems and structures developed within a nation’s public education (Perna, Gerald, Baum, &
Milem, 2007). Access and equity in public education therefore remains one of the fundamental
elements in the nation’s democratic system of governance that is based upon the pillars of civic
responsibilities and individual rights which requires that there is an effective education system. It
is therefore significant to note that this approach requires the inclusion of several factors in
achieving this goal.
References
Al-Lamki, S. M. (2002). Higher Education in the Sultanate of Oman: the challenge of access,
equity and privatization. Journal Of Higher Education Policy & Management, 24(1), 75-
- doi:10.1080/13600800220130770
Asplund, R., Adbelkarim, O. B., & Skalli, A. (2008). An equity perspective on access to,
enrolment in and finance of tertiary education. Education Economics, 16(3), 261-274.
ACCESS and EQUITY IN PUBLIC EDUCATION
Bragg, D. D., & Durham, B. (2012). Perspectives on Access and Equity in the Era of
(Community) College Completion. Community College Review, 40(2), 106-125.
Gilbert, C. K., & Heller, D. E. (2013). Access, Equity, and Community Colleges: The Truman
Commission and Federal Higher Education Policy from 1947 to 2011. Journal Of Higher
Education, 84(3), 417-443.
Harper, S. R., Patton, L. D., & Wooden, O. S. (2009). Access and Equity for African American
Students in Higher Education: A Critical Race Historical Analysis of Policy Efforts.
Journal Of Higher Education, 80(4), 389-414.
Heilig, J. V., Reddick, R. J., Hamilton, C., & Dietz, L. (2010). Actuating Equity: Historical and
Contemporary Analyses of African American Access to Selective Higher Education from
Sweatt to the Top 10 Percent Law. Harvard Journal of African American Public Policy,
1711-27.
Kisker, C. B., & Oulcalt, C. L. (2005). Community College Honors and Developmental Faculty:
Characteristics, Practices, and Implications for Access and Educational Equity.
Community College Review, 33(2), 1-21.
Leach, L. (2013). Participation and equity in higher education: are we going back to the future?.
Oxford Review of Education, 39(2), 267-286.
Perna, L., Gerald, D., Baum, E., & Milem, J. (2007). The status of equity for black faculty and
administrators in public higher education in the south. Research In Higher Education,
48(2), 193-228. doi:10.1007/s11162-006-9041-4
ACCESS and EQUITY IN PUBLIC EDUCATION
Willems, J., & Bossu, C. (2012). Equity considerations for open educational resources in the
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