President's Corner
Meeting Students Where They Are
BY PAUL W. IMHOFF/School Administrator, November 2021


PUBLIC SCHOOLS are special places where we welcome every child. We embrace every child, and we turn no child away. But we know that fulfilling this commitment to each child is not easy, and we have much work to do to ensure each has the opportunity to learn, grow and succeed in our schools — work that demands a clear understanding of equity.

Equity and equality are very different terms. Equality means treating each student the same as every other student — giving every child the same resources and support. Equity means giving each child the support necessary to ensure their opportunity for success.

Early in my graduate school journey, an educational psychology professor said, “There is nothing as unequal as the equal treatment of unequals.” Our students are starting from very different places, and by focusing on equity, we can adjust our efforts to best serve each one.
This equity work is going on in public schools across our country every day, and this issue of School Administrator shares stories and tips we can all use to promote equity in our own districts.

It’s important to recognize that equity work considers more than race, culture, gender, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status. It includes individual circumstances and experiences. This brings to mind a student who inspired me many years ago when I was teaching language arts in a suburban Ohio district.

Music always has been a passion of mine, and I was pleased to have a supplemental contract to work with the marching band. Our band had been invited to perform in Pasadena, Calif., at the Tournament of Roses parade, which travels a route more than five miles down Colorado Boulevard.

This particular student, who played the trombone, was born with a medical condition that made walking difficult and walking great distances extremely challenging. However, she was determined to march every step of that parade, so she began a year-long journey of training and medical care in preparing to meet that goal.

Committed to doing all we could to help her realize that dream, our band staff found it necessary to treat her differently from every other student in the band. She needed more frequent breaks, she needed us to be patient and understanding, and she needed our encouragement.

If we had treated her like everyone else, she might never have achieved her dream. We met her where she was and worked with her throughout the year. Because of her effort and determination, she realized her dream. I will never forget her and what she taught me about equity. Each of our students requires something different from us so they can achieve their full potential.

Giving Thanks

As we celebrate a season of Thanksgiving in the United States, let’s give thanks for each child in our public schools. Let’s embrace each child, love each child and commit ourselves to equity by meeting our students where they are and doing whatever we can to ensure they achieve their dreams.

This is the vision of our public schools: a place where everyone can come together, and miracles can happen in the lives of our students.

I want to take this opportunity to give thanks for our public school leaders. Thank you for keeping the focus on our students and their education during a global pandemic. Amid the many distractions, you continue to do the hard work of leadership and ensure that no one is left behind. Thank you for serving and thank you for leading — our kids need you!

PAUL IMHOFF is AASA president in 2021-22. Twitter: @imhoffpaul