In Focus: Equity in Education

[1]

In Focus: A New Series From the Aspen Institute

In this installment of [2]In Focus, an Aspen Institute multimedia project
exploring society’s greatest challenges, we share [3]how this unprecedented
disruption has shifted the way we look at everything, from the challenges
parents face when they become their child’s sole teacher, to the benefits
of universal child care.

[4]

[5]Generation Hope Scholar Yoslin Amaya Hernandez and her sons.

[6]How Colleges are Failing Student-Parents

When most people picture a college student, they don’t imagine a mom who
writes class papers from the sidelines of her kid’s soccer practice. Yet,
almost a quarter of undergraduate students are parents, and with schools
and child cares closing or going remote, they've also become at-home
teachers. Yoslin Amaya Hernandez, a Parent Advisor with [7]Ascend’s
Postsecondary Success for Parents Initiative, shares her life as a mom,
student, and part-time worker—and her anxieties about the upcoming school
year.
[8]Read

[9]

[10]A New Vision for the Future of Native Youth

For many Native American youth living on reservations across the US,
schools offer a reprieve from the trauma of poverty. [11]Dr. Billie Jo
Kipp, a child psychologist and the associate director of research and
evaluation at the Institute’s [12]Center for Native American Youth,
advocates for stronger mental health services and school structures to
improve the lives of native youth. Watch her series of videos on [13]the
impact of the pandemic on these communities—and their incredible
resilience.
[14]Watch

[15]

[16]Caring for Little Ones Can Be a Giant Expense

For families with two or more children, caregiving costs can exceed rent.
Americans lose at least $32 billion each year due to lack of child care and
paid leave. A report from the [17]Financial Security Program looks at the
true cost of caregiving and its impact on families and communities across
the country.
[18]More

[19]

[20]Child Care is Essential—Here are Six Reasons Why It Should be Free

Though it’s a challenge in the best of times, the pandemic has made it
clear that increasing support for child care is an urgent priority. Despite
the well-documented benefits, the country has made a relatively meager
investment in affordable, accessible, quality care. Experts at the
[21]Economic Opportunities Program lay out reasons why it is the time to
change that: it would transform the lives of millions of parents, boost our
economy, and set up a new generation for success.
[22]Read

[23]

[24]Higher Education Deserves More than a Return to "Normal"

Will colleges and universities go back to normal when the crisis clears?
[25]College Excellence Program’s Executive Director [26]Josh Wyner thinks
not—and [27]he doesn’t think they should. Instead, he encourages schools to
use this moment to do three important things that will improve student
learning.
[28]Read

[29]

[30]Can We Fix the Economy by Cancelling Student Loan Debt?

More than 40 million Americans have outstanding student loan balances, and
the current total debt is [31]more than $1.5 trillion. While the economy
has rebounded slightly and federal student loan payment deferrals have been
extended to January 1, the conversation remains relevant as ever as
policymakers plan how to support households recovering from the economic
impacts of COVID-19. A [32]Financial Security Program conversation explores
the possibility that cancelling that debt might not just be good for
borrowers—it could be good for us all.
[33]Watch

[34]

[35]How Can We Help Rural students?

Rural students [36]face a variety of barriers, from limited broadband
access to higher levels of poverty, and these disparities have only been
amplified by COVID-19. The [37]Community Strategies Group and RootEd
Alliance President Noa Meyer checked in with experts and practitioners to
learn what the immediate needs are, and to find ways to ensure rural
communities emerge from the pandemic more prosperous, resilient, and ready
for the future.
[38]Read

[39]In Focus is a new multimedia series from the Aspen Institute that
brings clear, diverse perspectives to the challenges shaping our society
during a historic period of change and uncertainty. This series unites the
Aspen Institute’s leading policy experts with our networks that span
grassroots organizers, CEOs, student activists, and national lawmakers.
Together, we’re showcasing new ideas, untold stories, and bringing the
issues behind the headlines into focus.

The Aspen Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action
to help solve the greatest challenges of our time.

Your support makes this work possible.

[40]Support Us

Join the Society of Fellows to be part of a national community that deeply
engages with the ideas and issues that drive the work of the Aspen
Institute. Add your voice to the conversation today.

[41]Learn More

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