Public Scholars on the Social Impact of School-Related Inequalities: Perspectives From Multiple Disciplines

Session Type: Invited Speaker Session

Abstract

Recent research provides strong evidence that unequal educational outcomes between richer and poorer students are due in part to curricular inequalities occurring within schools and between schools. Accordingly, rather than ameliorating background inequalities, the U.S. educational system may be exacerbating them. This session premiers a new short video—an artifact of public scholarship that communicates these research findings. Scholars from multiple disciplinary perspectives (sociology, economics, political science, and educational theory) will discuss implications of this research. They also consider how public scholarship focused on schooling inequality; its relationship to larger social, political and economic inequalities; and the public’s understanding of what a commitment to equality requires can inform and be informed by insights from different intellectual perspectives.

Sub Unit

• AERA Presidential Session

Chair

• William H. Schmidt, Michigan State University

Participants

• Greg Duncan, University of California - Irvine

• Jennifer Jennings, New York University

• Debra Satz, Stanford University

• Bob Wise, Alliance for Excellent Education

• Michael Cohen, Achieve