Equity Issues for Today's Educational Leaders: Meeting the Challenge of Creating Equitable Schools for All

About the Book

At a time when America's schools face many of the most difficult challenges ever, the authors of Equity Issues for Today's Educational Leaders return the reader to an agenda for addressing equity in schools, emphasizing the need to reexamine past reform efforts and the work ahead for educational leaders in reshaping schools and schooling—in concert, attending to the social responsibility of furthering the ideals of a democratic society.
The underlying purpose of the Equity Issues for Today's Educational Leaders is to illuminate and critique, as well as draw to the foreground, both historical and contemporary factors that have contributed to issues of equity in schools. Importantly, the contributors provide a survey of the issues as well as content and pedagogical tools for students and practitioners of leadership to study and understand their work in dealing with equity issues against a backdrop of a changing America and the demands placed on contemporary schools.

Table of Contents:

Part 1 Introduction: Equity Issues for Today's School Leaders
Part 2 Introduction: Creating Equitable Schools for All
Chapter 3 The Meaning of Equity in Creating and Leading Equitable Schools: Revitalizing a Democratic Principle
Chapter 4 Preparing Democratic Educational Leaders: An Equity-Based Approach
Part 5 Introduction: Equity Issues for Today's Educational Leaders
Chapter 6 Meeting the Challenge of Ending Gender Bias in Public Education
Chapter 7 Educational Equity and School Choice: The Effect of Voucher Programs on Access to an Equitable Education and the Role of the School Leader
Chapter 8 Achievement Equity and the Gap that Divides
Chapter 9 Educational Equity and the Special Needs Student
Chapter 10 Addressing Equity and Social Justice Issues for English Language Learners: Using Reflection and Criticality
Chapter 11 Equity and the Preparation of Students for Postsecondary Education
Chapter 12 Diversity, Equity, and the Importance of Culturally Responsive Educational Leaders
Chapter 13 Coda: The Equity Problem and the Work of Educational Leaders

About the Author :
Patrick M. Jenlink is professor of doctoral studies in the Department of Secondary Education and Educational Leadership and director of the Educational Research Center at Stephen F. Austin State University.

Review :
A profoundly important book that focuses on equity issues prevalent in our schools today. In this era of standards-based accountability, this collection of essays provides a greatly needed critical review of the challenges educators face in creating equitable schools for all students. As a university professor involved in leadership preparation, I am grateful for this collection and look forward to incorporating this work into my classroom teaching. There have been strong criticisms of educational scholars writing about social justice issues alleging a disconnection from the real world of educational leadership. This work bridges the two worlds of scholarly research and administrators practicing leadership in our schools in a way that is important to the future of both worlds. This could be the most important work this century for school leaders and their preparation. School leaders throughout the nation continue to struggle with issues of equity in education. Charles Darwin alluded to this concern when he wrote: 'If the misery of our poor be caused not by the laws of nature, but by our own institutions, great is our sin.' In a civil society, the requirement of equity is a priority among all caring and competent leaders. In Equity Issues for Today's Educational Leaders, experts address equality in our schools and examine the roled of our educational institutions. School leaders have a moral purpose of developing students for success, and this book will provide the information and reflection for improvement. As the title of this book suggests, educational leaders across our country are faced with creating, in our schools, the conditions that promote equity for all stakeholders. This book provides specific discussion and advice on how to organize and lead our schools with 'equity for all' as an important outcome. Through research and dialogue, readers are forced to contemplate their own practices and how their actions impact the learners in their organization. An enchanting analysis of why we have education. Equity is the cornerstone of democracy. In an era where educators are being choked down by accountability systems that are horrible for children, it is stimulating to read a book that will truly make a difference in advancing our democratic culture. I have been waiting for something like this to use as tool for improving equity within my school system. Patrick M. Jenlink's new edited collection, Equity Issues for Today's Educational Leaders, provides a broad discussion and understanding of the continued inequity in schools that are to leave no children behind. A plus for this book is not only the historical and theoretical information it provides, but the examples of instructional practice that educators may use to not only work toward equitable education, but also to keep social justice foremost in their minds as leaders and teachers. A timely and thought-provoking text for present and future educational leaders. . . . In an educational climate driven by shallow conceptions of accountability and assessment that marginalize and punish, the insightful writings from informed voices are critical to the well-being of scholar practitioners in the field. The synergy of multiple voices committed to social justice and equity provide impetus for educators to remain centered and focused on constructing ethical leadership practices.