That pupils should receive an equitable education enshrined in law. This means that all pupils should have fair opportunities to learn, regardless of gender, background, place of residence, or learning ability.
But how do we know whether education systems live up to this ideal?
“I examine how inequality is measured, and how schools can either reduce or unintentionally reproduce inequalities, especially for pupils with minority backgrounds or from low-income families,” says Mittal.
How we measure makes a significant difference
A central finding is that conclusions about educational equity are highly sensitive to methodological choices. Using data from PISA and TIMSS, Mittal shows that conclusions can change depending on:
- how socioeconomic status is measured
- which groups of pupils are compared and in which subjects
- which statistical models are used
“These choices may seem technical, but they have real consequences,” she explains. And continues:
“Rankings and estimates often shape both public debate and policy decisions, while the assumptions behind them are seldom discussed".
The researcher therefore argues that both policymakers and the public should be cautious when interpreting results from large-scale tests.
Do schools make a difference?
Mittal’s research shows that schools do matter, but not always in the same way for all pupils.
She combines large-scale analyses with a systematic review of over 200 studies published over six decades. The result shows that some school practices and policies may compensate for socioeconomic and minority-related disadvantages. Others mainly benefit already advantaged pupils or have insignificant equity effects.
“There is no single solution that works for everyone,” she says. “What matters is for whom a practice works and under what conditions.”
Equity cannot be achieved simply by improving average performance. We need to know how different groups of pupils are affected by educational practices.
Both professionally and personally engaged
Mittal is motivated both professionally and personally. She has a background as a language teacher, is a parent and an immigrant. This gives her a strong motivation to find out whether schools can counteract structural disadvantages.
She has also tried to bridge two fields: measurement theory and practical research on school effects.
This means that equity cannot be achieved simply by improving average outcomes. Instead, it requires that we find out how different groups of pupils are affected by school practices.
The numbers that drive the debate
Numbers play a central role in education policy.
“Results from PISA and TIMSS influence public debate, school reforms, and the allocation of resources—especially in the Nordic countries, Mittal says.
She cautions against basing policies on one single apparently objective ranking without discussing the methodology behind it.
At the same time, she says that equity is not achieved by treating all pupils the same.
“We need to recognize structural differences and accurately measure inequality and look at how schools respond to it,” Mittal concludes.
Source
Oleksandra Mittal: "Educational Equity Revisited: Validity evidence and factors associated with narrowing socioeconomic and minority achievement gaps" (Ph.d).