K12 360° Conversations: Equity Series, Part II

Equity Through Community Coalitions

We can’t begin to address digital equity in education without community advocacy. Advocates are providing kids with internet devices, expanding internet access across, identifying struggling students & planning interventions, and raising funds for projects. Partnerships, like the National Network of Education Research-Practice Partnerships (NNERPP), are essential to develop, support, and connect research-practice partnerships in education. Such partnerships are timely and ensure that we are not looking in the rearview mirror with our decision making.  Smaller community-based coalitions are equally important, especially in situations where understanding the local needs and building trusting relationships is key. Across these scales, examples of partnering and coalition building include:

• Diplomas Now
• Center for the Transformation of Schools
• Local Children’s Cabinet Network
• City Year
• CETF
• VILS

Tackling Equity Begins With Building Relationships

In, and with community, we can foster relationships that connect and build on the assets of the community. In relationships, we can identify the resources that are most beneficial by listening to the voice of those we are in service with and to. Schools are the heart of many communities, and research shows that schools can work with communities to provide additional resources for students like:

• Meals
• Housing
• Health Services
• Counseling
• Technology

Partnerships with the community ensure that students are safe and able to learn. With that, we can move forward together with the most innovative and effective learning practices. Our next blog tackles Equity through Data - an important aspect of measuring equity and finding these best practices to move forward.  

Up next on K12 360° Conversations:
Insights into Equity through Data

Resources

• COVID-19 and Student Performance, equity, and U.S. Education Policy

K12 360° Conversations Series:

• Part I - The Pandemic and Educational Equity
• Part II - Equity Through Community Coalitions

K12 360° Conversations

We have an incredible team of experts at Innive who meet weekly to discuss current events and relevant subjects facing the education industry. The K12 360° Conversations are a blog series pulled from these conversations with the goal of providing an in-depth look at tough subjects and encouraging advocacy.