AC&E Journal Feature

It’s an underexplored finding that variations in teaching within schools are far greater than the variations across schools.  Within the same environment, there are classrooms that are engaging, challenging, and supporting the learning and joy of every student.  And there are classrooms that aren’t. Parents intuitively understand this when they fight to move their child into the classroom of that special teacher and when they see the quality of their child’s experiences vary wildly from year to year.  And yet, this within-school variance is infrequently discussed.  We must acknowledge, though, that this variability in access is not random, and that it consistently leads to inequitable outcomes for students of color.

Chong-Hao Fu details the within-school opportunity gaps present in schools and what districts can do about them.