Race

Education news, analysis, and opinion about how race and racism affect schools and how they are taught about in schools

Webinars

Image of silhouette cutouts in a variety of colors and genders.
Webinars on Equity & Diversity
Browse and register for free professional development on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender and gender identity, and religious beliefs and schools.
Learn More
The image displays a lonely teenage boy facing away from the camera, sitting on the curb in front of his high school.
Discipline data from the 2020-21 pandemic era, released by the U.S. Department of Education, shows persisting disparities in discipline based on race and disability status.
iStock/Getty
School Climate & Safety Disparities, Bullying, and Corporal Punishment: The Latest Federal Discipline Data
As most schools offered hybrid instruction in 2020-21, Black students and students with disabilities were disproportionately disciplined.
Eesha Pendharkar, November 21, 2023
•
5 min read
The "statue" of Michelle Obama, played by Kaylee Gray, talks to students during Black History Month's wax museum at Chestnut Grove Elementary School in Decatur, Ala., on Feb. 27, 2020. Instead of the usual assembly, Chestnut Grove students played the roles of famous black and white people who contributed to the civil rights movement and black people who have made significant contributions to history.
The "statue" of Michelle Obama, played by Kaylee Gray, talks to students during Black History Month's wax museum at Chestnut Grove Elementary School in Decatur, Ala., on Feb. 27, 2020.
Jeronimo Nisa/The Decatur Daily via AP
Curriculum Many States Are Limiting How Schools Can Teach About Race. Most Voters Disagree
A majority of polled voters want students to learn about the history of racism and slavery in the United States and its legacy today.
Ileana Najarro, October 30, 2023
•
4 min read
JaNae Collins, Lily Gladstone, Cara Jade Myers and Jillian Dion in “Killers of the Flower Moon.”
JaNae Collins, Lily Gladstone, Cara Jade Myers and Jillian Dion in “Killers of the Flower Moon.”
Melinda Sue Gordon/Apple TV
Social Studies 'Killers of the Flower Moon' Covers Painful History. Can Oklahoma Teachers Teach It?
The crime epic illuminates hard history in Oklahoma. State restrictions could complicate teachers' efforts to draw on it in class.
Madeline Will, October 26, 2023
•
6 min read
Happy Black female student celebrating while receiving exam results from her Black female teacher in the classroom.
iStock/Getty
Teaching Profession Here's What High School Students of Color Think About Being a Teacher
New research asked high school students of color and Indigenous students what they think about a career in teaching.
Madeline Will, October 17, 2023
•
6 min read
Illustration of dark hallway with Office Room Light at the end
iStock/Getty + Education Week
School Climate & Safety Opinion I Combed Through 81 Studies on School Discipline. Here’s What Educators Need to Know
A school discipline researcher offers evidence-based considerations for closing discipline disparities in schools.
Richard O. Welsh, October 6, 2023
•
5 min read
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
iStock/Getty
Teaching Opinion Making Culturally Responsive Teaching Work: Zaretta Hammond Corrects 3 Big Misconceptions
The author and coach explains how to avoid several common mistakes in culturally responsive teaching.
Larry Ferlazzo, September 26, 2023
•
10 min read
Image of a globe.
Canva
Budget & Finance Q&A Why Are K-12 Funding Inequities So Pervasive? A French Scholar of U.S. Education Weighs In
Esther Cyna brings a unique perspective as a French scholar studying school finance in the United States.
Mark Lieberman, September 13, 2023
•
6 min read
Illustration of a young black woman with missing pieces. Some of the slices are sliding back into place, making the figure whole again.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + Madina Asileva/iStock
Equity & Diversity Opinion American Education Hurt Black Students. We Deserve Reparations
The value of the educational harm inflicted on my generation of Black students exceeds $2 trillion, writes Bettina L. Love.
Bettina L. Love, September 5, 2023
•
5 min read
Illustration of hands and puzzle pieces.
DigitalVision Vectors / Getty
College & Workforce Readiness Opinion What We Lose With the End of Affirmative Action
My own path to higher education demonstrates the importance of reaching out to students of all backgrounds, writes a Harvard medical student.
David Velasquez, September 1, 2023
•
5 min read
Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at a prayer vigil the day after three Black people were shot to death Aug. 26 in Jacksonville, Fla.
Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at a prayer vigil the day after three Black people were shot to death Aug. 26 in Jacksonville, Fla.
John Raoux/AP
Equity & Diversity Opinion ‘Hate Is Taught’: The Lesson for Schools From the Racist Jacksonville Killings
A slew of anti-Black education policies have helped make Florida a sanctuary state for hate and violence, writes Tyrone C. Howard.
Tyrone C. Howard, August 30, 2023
•
4 min read
082923 ocr race programming stanford fs 1172284292
E+ / Getty
Equity & Diversity Race-Based Affinity Groups Should Be Open to All Students, Biden Admin. Tells Schools
In new guidance, the Education Department cites examples of school policies or programs that violate civil rights law.
Libby Stanford, August 29, 2023
•
5 min read
Conceptual "achievement" Gap illustration of a large silhouette of a white child with a smaller silhouette of a black child contained inside. In the background are faded newspaper pages and data bar charts and line graphs.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + iStock/Getty Images
Equity & Diversity Opinion Stop Talking About ‘Gaps’ in Education—Talk About Harm
The frequently used term obscures the racism operating behind it, writes Bettina L. Love.
Bettina L. Love, August 18, 2023
•
3 min read
Education Week opinion letters submissions
Gwen Keraval for Education Week
Law & Courts Letter to the Editor Why Does America Still Need Affirmative Action?
The U.S. Supreme Court ruling may have negative implications for K-12, writes a special education teacher.
August 15, 2023
•
1 min read
People protest outside of the Supreme Court in Washington on June 29, 2023. The Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions, declaring race cannot be a factor and forcing institutions of higher education to look for new ways to achieve diverse student bodies.
Demonstrators outside of the U.S. Supreme Court on June 29, the day the court struck down affirmative action in college admissions. The Biden administration on Aug. 14 issued guidance on other ways colleges to promote racial diversity.
Jose Luis Magana/AP
Law & Courts Biden Administration Outlines How Colleges Can Pursue Racial Diversity After Court Ruling
The U.S. Departments of Education and Justice say universities may partner with schools on outreach and recruitment of minority students.
Mark Walsh, August 14, 2023
•
5 min read
Load More ▼