Operationalizing equity: The complexities of equity in practice

Abstract

The aim of this article is to offer some reflections on the relationship between meanings of equity at the national level and those working with these questions in local schools. We argue that meanings of equity at the national level are in strong contrast to the range complexity identified in local schools. The article draws from case study research, and the empirical data were gathered in seven schools, ranging from preschools to upper secondary schools. Our focus is on how issues of equity are interpreted and what challenges the schools face in relation to this. Our intention is to gain insights into processes where values of equity are negotiated, renegotiated and reshaped in daily contexts in schools. Our results convey a complex picture with a wide variation in how school staff interpret and work with fundamental values. This variation appears both within and between schools. An analysis of the variations resulted in three overarching themes: values as taken for granted, values as formalized and values as a pedagogical flow. These three themes are not exclusive or limited; instead, they should be seen as intertwined.