A Critical Content Analysis of Equity-Oriented Education Policies and Resolutions

Prior to the current wave of widespread and coordinated attacks on equity and anti-racism in public education, an increasing number of school districts throughout the United States had passed equity-oriented policies and anti-racism resolutions. These efforts play a critical role in districts’ attempts to acknowledge and address their own anti-Black racism and white supremacy. However, we empirically know very little about the components and content that comprise these policies and resolutions. To address this gap in the literature, this study critically examines the components and content of 100 school-board approved equity-focused policies and resolutions. As such, we ask: (a) How present are components of race and racism consciousness, effectiveness, and critical policy elements in equity-focused policies and resolutions? (b) How and in what ways does the presence of these components vary across different types of equity-oriented policies and resolutions? Our findings indicate that equity-focused policies and resolutions primarily include race and racism consciousness, assign institutional responsibility, and state intended actions for change. However, policy components that focus on shifting existing power dynamics and resource distribution are overwhelmingly absent. This study concludes with implications for policy, future research, and school districts.