Differing conceptions of equity

The National Center for Research in Mathematical Sciences Education (Secada, 1994b) identifies six different conceptions of equity held by school personnel, all rooted in notions of fairness:

1. Concern for the whole child

2. A safety net for individual differences

3. The same treatment for everyone

4. Compensation for social injustice

5. Triage - i.e., focusing on students whose success or failure depends on their school experience

6. Maximum return on minimal investment - i.e., concentrate scarce resources on students most likely to succeed

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