Free Essay Sample on Education Inequality: Barriers To Access and Success

Education is the key to success, yet, this key is often inaccessible to specific human populations. From the Jim Crow era of education segregation, and even eras before that, ethnic minorities have often suffered from policies, social structures, and economic waves that put them at a disadvantage regarding the attainment of education. Moreover, for those who manage to get an education, the existing systemic barriers ensure their education cannot materialize to a better job, access to healthcare, or a good pension. However, this is not to say that many institutions take this issue for granted. Many higher education policies seek to increase the inclusion of ethnic minorities through laws, inclusive strategies, and financial incentives that will help narrow the gap between the ethnic majority and the ethnic minorities in the United States.

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The American higher education system has gradually undergone a transformation from an elitist system to a more inclusive, diverse, and diverse one, and the credit goes to the numerous policies put in place. Four centuries ago, colleges and universities were characterized by high and middle-class white males. With time, American society noticed a gap in the racial minority's education compared to the Caucasian white males. In a series of interventions, leaders such as Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers, in 1784 attempted to provide an inclusive program for Native Americans through scholarship. However, the vast gaps in culture maimed this program. Many Native Americans felt the white man's education was poisoning their children's minds, making them indecisive, unwholesome, and lethargic (New Hampshire Health and Equity Partnership, 2013). As a result, more cultural approaches were taken and this made the education system promote cultural gaps more. African Americans faced a challenge other than access to education.

With the African Americans, the rules on segregation ensured that even they could get access to education. However, it was of the lowest quality with poor infrastructure, a low number of teachers, and inferior pedagogy. Thus an education was nothing substantial, but a formal signal of how progressive the nation was becoming.

Several policies formulated later gave hope for a more inclusive education system. These included policies such as the Higher Education Act (1965) and the Affirmative Action Act (1961-1965), which opened opportunities for diverse populations of all ages, genders, socioeconomic status, and ethnic groups (Abdennebi, 2014). The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is one of the most significant pieces of legislation that paved the way for a more inclusive higher education. Title IV of this act prohibited any form of discrimination based on gender, race, religion, gender, or ethnicity. Upon this act, enthusiastic individuals such as Thurgood Marshall pitched a case famously known as Brown vs. Board of Education to content the "separate but equal" analogy upon which the segregated schools were based. This case ruled that segregated schools promoted inequality, which, in turn, barred colored children from attaining their rights, among them the right to equal access to education. It is through such foundations that individual institutions have attempted to promote diversity in their various educational programs.

The goal of diversifying the education system appears in many strategic plans of institutions. While it is one thing to be pro-diverse in providing more inclusive programs to all students, the success of such programs is critical to ensure the education acquired accentuates a better future. Therefore, the strategies must consider aspects of recruiting diverse students and retaining them to the completion of the specific programs. New Hampshire is one of the many states that has taken the issue critically. Various steps have been formulated to recruit and retain more diverse students through the collaboration between higher learning institutions and the "inclusive Excellence "initiative. The target areas include early pre-college recruitment that targets young students from ethnic minority communities by supporting them through intervention programs, preparation programs, and college selection advice. Empowerment is also crucial to improve these students' self-efficacy and show them that they are indeed capable and deserving of having a successful education venture and academic career.

College recruitment is another critical area. Entering college is not an easy task, as it often involves taking tests, finding suitable institutions, and securing financial aid. In many ethnic and racial minority communities, students lack advice or influence from their family members, since most of their families are not college' precedents. In other cases, these students are often under pressure to resume work immediately after high school to earn a living and support their families. In contrast, others are pressured to study close to home, and thus join community colleges at the expense of colleges that offer quality and diverse programs (Arendt & Dohrman, 2016). Therefore, the chances for such a student to make the right decision, believe in themselves, or even prepare adequately for a college education are minimal. Therefore creating awareness and educating the students on possible college pathways is crucial in getting them ready for college. One way to do this is by disseminating essential and relevant information. School-college partnerships offer such support, through career advice and creating awareness on the possible opportunities. The goal is to improve access to educational opportunities for children of racial minority communities. Assessment methods can also be manipulated or adjusted to include non-cognitive variables such as personality, self-appraisal, community service, leadership skills, and positive self-concept (New Hampshire Health and Equity Partnership, 2013). This does not mean that racially minority students are not 'book-smart' but rather provides for the inclusion of their various areas of excellence, rather than the rigid cognitive-based criteria.

Enrolment is one crucial issue, and success and completion are another. Even with higher enrollment rates, students from racial minority communities have a hard time succeeding in their selected courses and attaining their degrees. On-time completion is lower for Hispanic and Black students as compared to their white counterparts. In a study that monitored the education progress of college students enrolled between 2003 and 2004, only one in five of those who graduated after completing their course were Black or Hispanic (U.S. Department of Education, 2016). Therefore, to ensure success and completion, the institution can incorporate culturally competent mentorship and create social support systems that help the students overcome barriers.

Conclusion

In conclusion, significant efforts have been made to improve diversity in higher education. From bold statements such as those underlying the Brown vs. Board of Education to subtle ones such as counseling and educational campaigns, it is evident that indeed society is moving towards an all-inclusive education system. It is essential to appreciate that it will take more than a few policies to repair the damage so deep in the American education system. However, through policies and strategies, the goal gets nearer.

References

Abdennebi M. (2014). Impacts of Diversity Policies on United States' Higher Education: Towards Promoting Racial and Ethnic Diversity in U.S. Higher Education. Pp. 1-52.

Arendt C. & Dohrman R. (2016). How to Recruit More Diverse Students: Challenges and Opportunities. Computing Research Association, 28(6). https://cra.org/crn/2016/06/recruit-diverse-students-challenges-opportunities/

New Hampshire Health and Equity Partnership (2013). Strategies for Recruiting and Retaining Diverse Students: A Guide for Administrators in Higher Education. Diversity in education. Pp. 1-12.

U.S Department of Education (2016). Advancing Diversity and Inclusion in Higher Education Key Data Highlights Focusing on Race and Ethnicity and Promising Practices. Pp. 1-77. https://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/advancing-diversity-inclusion.pdf