Beto Releases Plan to Address Structural Inequity in Education

Plan Will Help Iowa Increase Teacher Pay, Teacher Diversity and Equity in the Classroom
 
DES MOINES, IA — Today, Beto O’Rourke released a plan to address the structural inequity in America’s education system, ahead of the NAACP Presidential Candidates Forum in Detroit, Michigan. Beto’s plan will have a significant impact on Iowa, and on critical efforts to address racial inequities in the classroom and increase teacher salaries.

As president, Beto will create a $500 billion Permanent Fund for Equity and Excellence to close funding gaps by race and income across America. Beto will also address racial disparities in school discipline, issuing a federal ban on corporal punishment in schools, investing in restorative justice, and encouraging teacher preparation programs to address bias. His administration will also encourage a more diverse teaching workforce across the country by providing student debt relief to America’s teachers and investing in teacher preparation programs at Minority Serving Institutions and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

“Sixty-five years after Brown v. Board of Education, and America’s schools still remain segregated,” said Beto O’Rourke. “The effects of a system where students of color are disciplined at alarmingly higher rates than white students, where funding favors white school districts over nonwhite districts, or where white teachers far outnumber black teachers live on well beyond students leaving the classroom. We must be relentless in our fight for equity and full opportunity in our schools, our education system, and across society.”

Three ways Beto’s Education Plan Will Help Iowa Achieve Equity in Education: 

1. The Permanent Fund for Equity and Excellence will help pay teachers professional wages, benefitting Iowa’s educators earn the salary they deserve. Iowa’s public school teachers make 23% less than nonteacher graduates, according to a 2018 study by the Economic Policy Institute. The plan would also immediately forgive outstanding student loan debt, helping Iowa’s teacher salaries go farther. 
2. According to a 2018 Des Moines Register article, black students in Iowa are six times more likely to be suspended than their white peers. Beto’s plan to implement teacher preparation programs to address racial bias and cultural competency will address this problem, improving outcomes for students of color in Iowa. 
3. Iowa severely lacks teacher diversity — just 1% of Iowa’s teachers were people of color during the 2011-2012 school year, according to the Center for American Progress. Beto’s plan will invest $500 million per year in funds that can be used to provide scholarships for low-income or first-generation students that are pursuing teaching and to support mentorship programs. 

Today, there remains a funding gap of $23 billion annually between predominantly white and predominantly non-white districts. Even 65 years after Brown v. Board, school segregation is getting worse, and while over half of public school students across America are people of color, only 20% of the nation’s public school teachers are non-white. These disparities lead to students of color being disproportionately under identified as gifted, disciplined in schools at a higher rate - contributing to the disturbing school-to-prison pipeline across America -  and can correlate with lower education performance. Beto’s plan would address these inequities by ensuring schools and educators in underserved communities have the resources they need to be successful.
Beto’s plan to promote equity in education includes:

1. Establishing a $500 Billion Permanent Fund for Equity and Excellence to close funding gaps and create incentives for states and districts to guarantee fair and adequate funding across public schools, and pay teachers professional wages. The Fund will also engage the community, allowing education stakeholders to ensure states and districts are meeting established priorities for the use of funds.
2. End racial disparities in school discipline by issuing a federal ban on corporal punishment in schools, provide funding for schools to implement restorative justice programs, and require teacher preparation programs to address racial bias and cultural competency. Students of color are much more likely to be disciplined, suspended and expelled than their white counterparts, contributing to the disturbing trend of black youth being five times more likely to be incarcerated as juveniles than white youth. 
3. Provide student debt relief for educators. Far too many teachers are struggling under the weight of high student debt, and in many districts debt, coupled with low pay, creates an additional burden on teachers and their families. The weight of debt is amplified for communities of color.  Black college graduates have $7,400 more in student loan debtthan their white peers, and on average, black teachers earn $2,700 less per year than white teachers and are overrepresented in high-poverty schools, where the pay gap is greater. Beto’s plan will immediately forgive outstanding student loan debt and will invest in increased pay for teachers. 
4. Invest in the teacher pipeline to increase diversity in the education sector. 38% of black teachers in the United States are graduates of Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), while 16% of all black teacher candidates attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Beto will invest $500 million per year in a new program designed to create-world class teacher academies at MSIs and HBCUs.  The funds can be used to provide scholarships for low-income or first-generation students that are pursuing teaching and to support mentorship programs. 

Beto has also called for universal pre-K for all 3- and 4-year-olds, as part of his commitment to providing high-quality education for all students. Beto’s proposal to promote equity in education is part of his larger plan to invest in America’s education system and foster the next generation of educators, which can be found at www.betoorourke.com/education.