Eric.ed.gov – A Perspective on Race Equity and Science and Math Education: Toward Making Science and Math for All.

This keynote address focuses on equity in science and mathematics education. The science and math achievement of minority and poor children are discussed from an instructional policy perspective with emphasis on who gets access to what knowledge. The discussion about the politics of knowledge acquisition involves a discussion of race, class, and gender and highlights the fact that even though there have been substantial gains, the fact remains that a student’s status as minority or poor or female severely impairs that student’s likelihood of acquiring a quality educational experience, particularly with regard to science and math. An analysis of data reveals that with respect to curriculum there are no substandard schools; however, there are significant differences in teacher qualifications and teacher attitudes. Compared to students not in poverty, students in poverty are more likely to have a science teacher who is either without certification at all or not certified in science and are more likely to be taught by teachers who have negative attitudes toward science and do not encourage students to do their best or to do homework. Personal reflections on life as a middle-school science teacher are presented along with a discussion of the goals and activities of the Georgia Initiative in Mathematics and Science (GIMS). (JRH)