Education: The rich get richer schooling too – Arkansas Times

The legislative education committees are meeting this morning and,  among others,  hearing a report from legislative staff on adequacy and equity in course offerings.

Some interesting data presented by Julie Holt:

Of 294 high schools in 2018-19:

19 didn’t teach a vocal music course.

19 didn’t teach instrumental music

14 didn’t teach a foreign language (though two years of a language must be taught to meet state standards)

83 didn’t teach a physics course.

55 offered no journalism course

30 taught no advanced placement courses.

Poorer school districts and districts with higher non-white enrollments were disproportionately among districts lacking courses viewed as important to college entrance and success. Holt spoke, too, of barriers in homes — mental health, poverty, trauma.