The pandemic has increased inequities at all levels of education, but it has also provided an opportunity to close those gaps. That was the sentiment of the panelists who participated in “The State of Education: Rebuilding a More Equitable System” hosted by The Atlantic on Wednesday.
While the disparities are clear, panelists noted that this unique time has also presented opportunities to dramatically overhaul the education system from early childhood through postsecondary education to create a more equitable learning environment.
Dr. John B. King, president and CEO of The Education Trust and former U.S. Secretary of Education, said things cannot return to how they were prior to the pandemic because students who needed the most were receiving the least, including access to strong teachers and counselors.
“Less access to support around postsecondary transition, and we see similar inequities in our higher education—states that significantly underinvest in public higher education and underinvest dramatically in community colleges relative to their flagship universities,” said King. “We really have to see this as an opportunity to build a much more just future as we return to school.”
King said in the immediate, there must be responses to learning challenges and social and emotional challenges that students face. He’d like to see a significant investment in tutoring and suggested a national tutoring corps that mobilizes recent college graduates and retired teachers to help students catch up.
Schools at all levels need to invest in mental health services and counselors, he said, noting that students of color in particular, are not getting access to the nation’s flagship universities.
“[President Biden] talked during the campaign about doubling Pell grants,” said King. “Back in 1980, Pell grants accounted for about 80% of the cost of a public four-year college. Today, Pell grants account for about 28%. A doubling of Pell grants would go a long way to making college much more accessible for low-income and moderate-income students.”
