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U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown
Addressing
Inequalities in Public Schools
In March 2014, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil
Rights published data from a comprehensive survey of schools across the
nation, which illustrated the magnitude of the educational opportunity
gaps that exist for students in the United States.
The survey found that Black, Latino, American Indian, and Native
Alaskan students, as well as students who are English learners, attend
schools with higher concentrations of inexperienced teachers. The
survey also found that nationwide, one in five high schools lack a
school counselor, and between 10 and 25 percent of high schools do not
offer more than one of the core courses in high school math and
science, such as Algebra I and II, geometry, biology, and chemistry.
In an effort to address inequities that undermine learning and to help
students bridge the achievement gap, U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
and Jack Reed (D-RI) introduced the Core Opportunity Resources for
Equity and Excellence (CORE) Act. The bill aims to tackle existing
disparities in public education by establishing accountability
requirements that compel states and school districts to give all
students equitable access to the core resources necessary to achieve
college and career readiness by high school graduation.
“The quality of our children’s education shouldn’t be determined by
their zip code,” Sen. Brown said. “But too many teachers and schools
lack the resources to ensure students can grow and succeed. That’s why
this bill is so important – not just to close the achievement gap but
also to raise the bar for all of America’s students. The CORE Act would
ensure every child receives the opportunities they deserve by improving
access to prepare teachers, better curricula, and ultimately, the
chance students need to grow and succeed.”
The bill will establish accountability standards for states and school
districts, requiring that they provide fair and equitable access to the
core resources for learning. These resources include:
High quality instructional teams, including licensed and
profession-ready teachers, principals, school librarians, counselors,
and education support staff;
Rigorous academic standards and curricula that lead to college and
career readiness by high school graduation, and are accessible to all
students, including students with disabilities and English learners;
Equitable and instructionally appropriate class sizes;
Up-to-date instructional materials, technology, and supplies;
Effective school library programs;
School facilities and technology, including physically and
environmentally sound buildings and well-equipped instruction spaces;
Specialized instructional support teams, such as counselors, social
workers, nurses, and other qualified professionals; and
Effective family and community engagement programs.
Under the CORE Act, state accountability systems would be required to
include measures of fair and equitable access to the core resources for
learning, as well as a plan for identifying and addressing any
inequities in access to them. Information about access to these
resources would also be reflected on state and district report cards.
States that fail to make progress in eliminating disparities for two or
more consecutive years would be ineligible to participate in
competitive grant programs authorized under the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act. For school districts identified for
improvement, the state would have to identify gaps in access to the
core resources for learning and develop an action plan in partnership
with the local school district to address those gaps.
Sens. Reed and Brown previously introduced the CORE Act in June 2014
during the 113th Congress. A companion to the legislation will once
again be introduced in the House of Representatives by Representative
Marcia Fudge (D-OH-11).
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