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Culture and Inclusion

Reflection

Diversity in America
Student population in America has shifted from predominantly Caucasian, to a much more
diverse student body. We are a different nation than we were even 50 years ago. With this shift
in diversity comes a change in culture, socioeconomics, linguistics and demographics and we
need to become more flexible with our current educational policies to adapt to this change. The
question becomes, are we prepared for this change. In a nation where the minorities are
becoming the majority, the US is ill-prepared for a future filled with diversity in education.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, as of August 2014, minority school
enrollment surpassed the non-Hispanic white population by 50.3%. By 2043, higher birth rates
for Hispanics is projected whereas there will be a decrease in percent of white birth rates. By
2050, according to PEW Research Center, 34% of US children under 17 will be immigrants or
the children of immigrants. And finally, by 2060, the non-white Asian population is expected to
double in our country. In knowing these statistics the US should be gearing for change.
However, while there are some improvements in the making, like the Every Student Succeeds
Act (ESSA), we are not making significant changes in our education policy and overall way of
thinking.
One area of concern is that the once, mostly white population (Baby Boomers and even some
of Generation X) is making decisions about educational policies and funding. This aging
society grew up in a nation that was much different than the diverse nation of today. Not taking
that change into consideration, the aging Baby Boomer generation is more likely to fund medical
services instead of education reform. Their childhood experiences involved a mostly-Caucasian
population sitting in rows of desks with a teacher in front of the class. Cooperative groups,
differentiated learning and graphic organizers did not exist like they do today. Funding for
progressive teaching in a diverse population is necessary. We need the resources to fund things
like new educational policies, teacher training, classroom supplies, and overall education of the
general population (i.e. marketing strategies/incentives to draw diverse populations to the field
of teaching).
There is a disconnect between the nationality of teachers and the nationality of the students.
White teachers account for 82% of the 3.4 million public school teachers in our diverse nation.
This discrepancy is creating difficulties. With little educational accountability, the majority of
white teachers are not teaching to the diverse population. With the influx of this new population,
there is little understanding of the various cultures and the backgrounds of these children.
Teachers cannot relate to their students. There are two things we can do as a nation; better
prepare our existing, Caucasian teachers by expanding requirements to teach ELLs and hold
teachers accountable for those standards. The second thing we can do is to recruit a more
diverse population among new teachers. Teachers with similar backgrounds to their students

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(those who speak multiple languages, come from different socioeconomic backgrounds and
those who are of varying cultures) are more relatable and therefore possibly better prepared to
teach diverse populations.
One way in which we are starting to prepare for this change is through our new Act signed into
law on December 10, 2015. Replacing the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2002, Every
Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015 makes states more accountable for assessments and
goals (versus federal accountability of NCLB). States must consider academic indicators such
as progress made by English language learners (ELLs make up 10% of the school population,
according to the National Center for Education Statistics, 2015), proficiency on state annual
assessments, and at least, one indicator of school quality of student success that allows for
meaningful differentiation in school performance such as school climate and safety, student
access to and completion of advanced coursework and educator engagement. Whereas the
ESSA is addressing more local control at the state level, there are fears, for example, that ESSA
does not address higher requirements for ELL teachers.
This new law does not require states to set up teacher-evaluation systems based on student
test scores. Each state has the ability to create its own standards, versus a federal law
mandating requirements. Many states are delaying laws to address requirements for teachers,
New York officials last month approved plans to delay for four years the tethering of test scores
to teacher evaluation. Not to say that NCLB Act was better, but this unknown future of
evaluating the quality of teacher is unsettling.
California has started Common Core as a way to address new standards; however, there is still
much that is left undefined and waiting on the state and federal laws to define. Under ESSA,
California needs to set clear goals. For example, in the percent of ELLs making progress
toward English language proficiency, California needs to, set more aggressive improvement
targets for subgroups of students who are currently behind. There are still too many students
falling through the gaps. We need to target support for the underperforming, including ELLs,
racial and ethnic groups, and the economically disadvantaged. Our future, as a nation, relies on
educating all groups of students, not just the higher performing, the Caucasian or the higher
economic populations.
The US needs to do several things to address its diverse population in education. Utilizing
multiple measures instead of only standardized tests to track improvement, attracting a
culturally rich population of new teachers and increased state accountability for ELLs are some
ways in which we can address those students who are struggling to assimilate to the new
culture. Currently the US is not doing enough to prepare for this dramatic change in population
and it will ultimately affect the well-being of the nation.

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Sources Cited
CETPA K-20 Technologists. How Will ESSA Affect California Part 1 (n.d.). Retrieved February
19, 2016, from
http://www.cetpa.net/news/legislative_news/how_e_s_s_a_will_affect_california_-_part_1
The Education Trust West (2015, December). The Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015: What it
Means for Equity and Accountability in California. Retrieved February 20, 2016, from
http://west.edtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2015/11/Every-Student-Succeeds-ActImplications-for-CA.pdf
Education Week (2014, August 19). U.S School Enrollment Hits Majority-Minority Milestone.
Retrieved February 19, 2016, from
http://www.edweek.org/ew/projects/changing-demographics.html
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2014/08/20/01demographics.h34.html
Gentz, Susan (2016, January 4). Transition to ESSA. Retrieved February 20, 2016, from
http://www.inacol.org/news/us-department-of-education-begins-transition-to-essa/
Lindahl, Linda (2015, December 14). The ESSA and ESL Teacher Education. Retrieved
February 20, 2016, from http://blog.tesol.org/the-essa-and-esl-teacher-education/
Patrick, Susan (2015, December 31). 11 Big Trends for 2016: Predictions and Changes Ahead
for K-12 Education. Retrieved February 19, 2016, from http://www.inacol.org/news/11-bigtrends-for-2016-predictions-and-changes-ahead-in-k-12-education/
Sawchuk, Stephen (2016, January 5). ESSA Loosens Reins on Teacher Evaluations,
Qualifications. Retrieved February 21, 2016, from
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2016/01/06/essa-loosens-reins-on-teacher-evaluationsqualifications.html?r=1384813576&preview=1