Program Equity for all Children: Meaningful Goal or Impossible Dream?

After a decade of neglect, equity issues are once again at the core of educational policy debates, but the nature of equity in the 1990s is different from in the past, especially with its inclusion of outcomes. This article explores some of these differences from two perspectives. First, although we know that many elements of outcome equity are feasible, there are significant implementation issues including outcome measurement, the quid pro quo between account ability for outcomes and governance, resource implications, the need for integrated services for children, the necessary role changes for teachers and principals, and the need for parents as partners. Second, the article summarizes the recommendations of a New York State Equity Study Group, which focused on the following three questions: (a) Can we develop definitions of educational outcomes and outcome equity? (b) Can we identify the alternative policies and programs that are aimed at redressing outcome inequities? (c) What actions are needed to allocate resources to support policies and programs that produce outcome equity?.