Read the passage below:Educational inequality is rooted not only in a lack of resources and barriers to access for many individuals, but also impacted by structural intersectional issues, such as systemic racism, taxation systems, geographic realities, and overall political and economic forces.One major force contributing to educational inequality is a limited way of thinking about what constitutes an “ideal education.”Our educational system rests on traditional models and metrics for what is considered a valuable education – traditional classrooms, lectures, and reliance on testing scores, as just some examples.
- But what would it look like if society were more innovative in its ideal educational models, and prioritized things like lived experiences? Acquired skillsets? Might that contribute to balancing the playing field?
- What would it look like if a job description asked for a Bachelor’s degree, or “equivalent lived experience”?
- How might an educational system that valued technical prowess, craft and trade as much as it does math, science and English ultimately result in one that is more equitable?
Innovation as a core value rests on the constant development of new designs and ideas, putting them into practice in an effort to improve the status quo. While many sectors of our society have been on the leading forefront of innovative models, our educational systems have not, and are quite traditional in their scope and approach. There are many benefits to the models as they exist, but there are also downsides.Expanding our definition of education could create more expansive pathways, ultimately leading to a system that is more equitable.
What are the up-sides and down-sides of both models? 
