My dissertation research focused in part on how Black parents champion equity in affluent, predominantly white school districts to support the academic success of their children. These parents faced many of the same challenges faced by their counterparts in low socio-economic school districts. They had to battle racism, low expectations, lack of information, insufficient school support, and the necessity of finding out of school academic support for their children. These parents had real world situations where they did not need equality.
They were not looking for every student to be treated exactly the same. In fact, they often had to battle against teachers and administrators thinking Black students were a monolith and all needed the exact same type of programming. Instead of equality, these parents were looking for equity. They wanted what they saw white students in the district received. Black parents wanted teachers and administrators to meet each student where the student was and gave each student the tools they needed to succeed. Black parents didn’t merely want their children to survive on their academic journeys, they wanted them to thrive.
This article was written to empower parents and families to recognize and address disparities in educational resources provided and educational outcomes at their children’s schools. All too often there are disparities in the types of educational opportunities provided to Black and white students. In many situations, Black students have to fight to receive the opportunity to have academic outcomes similar to their white counterparts. Often schools, teachers, and administrators are reluctant to acknowledge disparities. This is important because you cannot address what you fail to recognize. When parents are able to recognize disparities, they are able to identify problem areas and then the search for solutions can begin.
Understanding Educational Disparities
Black parents in the United States have been fighting for their children to have equitable educational opportunities ever since Black students were allowed to be educated in the United States (Davis, 2025). Even today, Black students are battling the remnants of redlining and as well as current funding gaps between the schools attended by Black students and the schools attended by white students. The history of the United States is full of examples of white school district officials refusing to pay money for buses, textbooks, supplies, and even building repairs in Black schools. In many school districts across the country there is a history and current practice of school districts spending freely at white schools while denying Black schools anything beyond the most minimal of spending budgets.
Currently, in many states, school district budgets are determined by taxes collected from parents living in the areas where the schools are located. This means that in higher income areas, where the parents are typically white due in part to issues associated with redlining and racism, the school districts are better funded. In poorer areas, where the tax base is lower, school districts are poorly funded and under resourced. It is almost impossible for students impacted by this blatant racism and disparity to
It is interesting to note that in affluent areas, such as those where my dissertation research took place, schools still provide different educational opportunities to Black and white students in the same schools. Often Black students in primarily white school districts are not given the same opportunities for advanced classes, academic support, and academic advising as their white peers (Davis, 2025). In my research parents reported that often their children who were honor roll, straight A students were often not recommended for honors classes or opportunities for academic enrichment (Davis, 2025). This type of disparity is not a rarity across the academic landscape.
One parent in my study for example, talked about how her son cried, actually wept when he was not recommended for advanced math like his white peers. He was a boy who as a ninth grade student had never earned less than an A in a mathematics class. Yet, his teachers refused to recommend him for honor’s level math in high school. He wondered what he was doing wrong that his potential was seemingly invisible to his teachers. It was not until him mother engaged the services of an attorney that he was placed in the higher level math class where he belonged (Davis, 2025).
Another parent reported that at the first parent/teacher conference of the year that her first grade son was on a level D in reading. She thought this was fine because she had not been told anything different. However, when she asked the teacher about the level her son’s peers were on in reading, she was told they were on level J and would be on level P by the end of the school year. It did not occur to the teacher, even at the parent/teacher conference, to inform this mother how far behind his peers her son was. It was as if the teacher expected him to be behind and for that to be okay with his parents (Davis, 2025).
These are just two of the many ways in which parents may experience educational disparities with their children. It is important for parents, particularly parents of historically marginalized children to examine everything at their children’s schools through a critical lens. They should ask, “what does this look like for my child, is my child experiencing disparities?”
What Accessibility Really Means in Schools
When it comes to access to education, parents must look beyond physical access. When determining whether or not students are receiving the required free access to public education, parents must look at digital, linguistic, and instructional accessibility. Appropriate digital access is achieved when families and children can access and use the digital tools and platforms required at school without regard to their ability, income, or location. This includes access to laptops, tablets, and assistive technology. In today’s modern educational landscape, it includes reliable internet connectivity. Children must be provided platforms that support screen readers, captions, and keyboard navigation as needed. Mobile friendly school websites and portals are also an important part of reaching accessibility.
Linguistic ability involves ensuring that communication and learning materials can be understood by and are inclusive for families and students who speak languages other than English or use non-standard dialects. This means that school documents, websites, and notices must be easily translated and translatable. Meetings and conferences need to have translation services available. Schools must use culturally responsive communication practices in order for parents and students to have linguistic accessibility to learning materials. Finally, for full linguistic accessibility, there must be support in the classroom for multilingual learners. Families cannot advocate for their children or fully access educational resources if they do not understand what is being said or written. If teachers and administrators want to build trust and support inclusion, they must provide linguistic accessibility.
Instructional accessibility occurs when educators ensure that teaching methods, materials, and environments are designed so that all students can learn effectively without regard to ability, background, or learning style. This includes things like differentiated instruction. This also involves making appropriate accommodations and modifications as required by IEPs and 504 plans. Inclusive curriculum that reflects diverse identities and experiences are part of instructional accessibility. A final part of instructional accessibility includes flexible pacing, variety in terms of formats, and diverse assessment options.
It is important for parents to understand that when it comes to IEPs and 504 plans, parents should be part of planning the documents that will guide their children’s educational journeys. Not only should parents be part of planning and creating those documents, they must also be sure to monitor what is happening in their children’s classrooms and that the IEPs and 504s are being followed. Parents must be mindful of the fact that neither IEPs or 504s are one and done documents. Instead those documents must be reviewed and revised on a regular basis. Parents can ask for meetings and reviews whenever they think such review or revision is warranted.
The Role of Families in Advancing Equity
In order to appropriately advocate for the equity their children need, parents must be vigilant. They must take care to be keenly aware of what is happening at their children’s schools. In order to do this, they must know what they should take care to notice. They must know what to ask. Research suggests that parents should remember that sometimes, it takes a village to help a child successfully navigate the educational system (Davis, 2025). Parents who use supportive networks can benefit from the experiences of other parents in their area. This means they will not have to reinvent the wheel, instead they can just drive the car previous parents have built.
Parents have roles as advocates for their children. Parents must take care to learn all they can about their children’s school district, schools, and teachers. They must know their rights and responsibilities. This knowledge, coupled with learning how to effectively use data will help parents in their mission to champion equity in their children’s schools. This may all seem intimidating to parents who are not trained as educators. However, parents can take comfort in the fact that they do not have to be experts. They can learn as they go. They can ask questions and rely upon their supportive networks help.
At the same time, parents need to get all the information they can. They have to use district websites, internet searches, and community members in order to learn all they need to know to advocate for their children. Parents cannot live in ignorance about the educational system in which their children go to school. The must educate themselves in order to help their children be successful on their academic journeys (Davis, 2025).
What Schools Can Do and What Parents Can Ask For
Schools in today’s educational landscape should be expected to have equity-centered practices. This means at a minimum, parents should expect inclusive curriculum and trauma-informed care. If parents do not see these things taking place, they should step up and ask schools, teachers, and administrators to provide them. Parents, particularly parents of historically marginalized children, should not expect the schools to automatically meet their children’s needs or to have their children’s best interests in mind (Davis, 2025). Parents must stand at the ready to ask for what their children need and what they want for their children.
Parents need to monitor what is going on in their local educational landscape. They must stay aware of the specific policy levers such as funding, discipline, and access to enrichment where policies can be adjusted to promote equity in education. Funding has to do with how money is allocated for schools, programs, and services. When it comes to equity, this matters because equitable funding ensures that schools serving historically marginalized communities have the resources they need. This includes all aspects of education from counselors, to after school programs, to enrichment activities. Discipline can be defined as the rules and procedures that govern student behavior. This matters for equity-minded educators because fair discipline policies reduce racial disparities in negative disciplinary actions and can promote restorative practices. Access to enrichment includes opportunities for advanced coursework, the arts, STEM, and extracurricular activities. This matters for equity because it ensures that all students can benefit from gifted programs, honors and AP classes, as well as creative outlets for students.
Policy levers are tools that decision makers like school boards, administrators, or even legislators can pull to create change. When parents talk about policy levers they are looking for concrete places where parental advocacy can lead to systemic change. Concern about making systemic change invites parents to ask teachers, administrators, and school board members questions like:
- Are disciplinary policies fair and transparent
- Who gets invited to gifted programs and why
- How is my children’s school funded compared to other schools
Conclusion
It is important for all players in the educational arena to know that every parent has a role to play in creating an equitable learning environment for their children. Equity is not optional, it is an essential part of the educational process. This week we encourage parents to do an equity inventory of their children’s schools. To make this process easier, parents can use our “Equity Starts at Home: Reflect, Ask, Act” worksheet and companion checklist. These documents will prepare parents to do what they need to champion equity in their children’s schools.
Further Reading
The Best Educators Strive to Create Equity-Centered Classrooms
Unlock Your Doctoral Success: Coaching & Resources That Work
Unleash the Fire Within: Maya Angelou’s Lifegiving Wisdom for Educators
About the Author
Dr. Janeane Davis is Founder and Principal Consultant at Janeane Davis and Associates: Educational Consultants. She celebrates educators as architects of possibility—designers of futures, keepers of story, and leaders of change. Her writing honors the beauty, brilliance, and bravery of teaching.
Joy in the margins. Gratitude in the lines. Always honoring.