Download pdf
Education Policy and Social Justice: A Policy Framework Analysis for Improving Educational Opportunities for Marginalized Groups
- 1 Columbia University
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Educational inequality remains a pervasive issue, particularly for marginalized groups such as low-income families, immigrants, and ethnic minorities. Despite various educational reforms, current policies often fail to fully address the disparities faced by these populations. This paper critically examines the role of education policy in promoting social justice, focusing on how existing policies can either perpetuate or mitigate inequities in access and outcomes. Drawing on a comprehensive policy analysis framework, this study analyzes current UK education policies, comparing them with international best practices to identify key gaps and areas for improvement. The findings reveal significant shortcomings in resource distribution, support systems for marginalized students, and accountability mechanisms. Based on these findings, the paper proposes a refined policy framework that incorporates principles of redistributive, recognition, and participatory justice, offering actionable recommendations for policymakers. This research highlights the urgent need for a more equitable approach to education policy, ensuring that marginalized groups are not left behind in the pursuit of educational opportunity and success.
Keywords
social justice, educational inequality, marginalized groups, education policy, equitable access, policy framework
[1]. Bourdieu, P. (1977). Cultural reproduction and social reproduction. In J. Karabel & A. H. Halsey (Eds.), Power and ideology in education (pp. 487–510). Oxford University Press.
[2]. Orfield, G., & Lee, C. (2005). Why segregation matters: Poverty and educational inequality. The Civil Rights Project, Harvard University.
[3]. Kozol, J. (2005). The shame of the nation: The restoration of apartheid schooling in America. Broadway Books.
[4]. Hanushek, E. A., & Woessmann, L. (2008). The role of cognitive skills in economic development. Journal of Economic Literature, 46(3), 607-668.
[5]. Ladson-Billings, G. (2006). From the achievement gap to the education debt: Understanding achievement in U.S. schools. Educational Researcher, 35(7), 3–12.
[6]. Crenshaw, K. (1989). Demarginalizing the intersection of race and sex: A Black feminist critique of antidiscrimination doctrine, feminist theory, and antiracist politics. University of Chicago Legal Forum, 139–167.
[7]. Milner, H. R. (2015). Rac(e)ing to class: Confronting poverty and race in schools and classrooms. Harvard Education Press.
[8]. Berliner, D. C. (2009). Poverty and potential: Out-of-school factors and school success. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 17, 1-26.
[9]. Gewirtz, S. (1998). Conceptualizing social justice in education: Mapping the territory. Journal of Education Policy, 13(4), 469-484.
[10]. Fraser, N. (2008). From redistribution to recognition? Dilemmas of justice in a 'post-socialist' age. In K. Olson (Ed.), Adding insult to injury: Nancy Fraser debates her critics (pp. 11-41). Verso.
[11]. Sahlberg, P. (2011). Finnish lessons: What can the world learn from educational change in Finland? Teachers College Press.
[12]. Darling-Hammond, L. (2010). The flat world and education: How America's commitment to equity will determine our future. Teachers College Press.
[13]. Reardon, S. F. (2011). The widening academic achievement gap between the rich and the poor: New evidence and possible explanations. In G. J. Duncan & R. J. Murnane (Eds.), Whither opportunity? Rising inequality and the uncertain life chances of low-income children (pp. 91-116). Russell Sage Foundation.
[14]. Darling-Hammond, L., & Cook-Harvey, C. M. (2018). Educating the whole child: Improving school climate to support student success. Learning Policy Institute.
[15]. Steele, C. M. (2010). Whistling Vivaldi: How stereotypes affect us and what we can do. W. W. Norton & Company.
[16]. Department for Education. (2023). Education outcomes and attainment data 2021-2023: Focus on disadvantaged groups. UK Government Publishing.
[17]. OECD. (2022). Education at a glance: 2022 indicators. OECD Publishing.
[18]. UNICEF. (2022). Global education monitoring report: Educational equity and access. UNICEF Publishing.
[19]. Fraser, N. (2021). Social justice and education: Redistribution, recognition, and participation in the 21st century. Routledge.
[20]. Department for Education. (2023). Pupil premium allocation reports 2021-2023. UK Government Publishing.
[21]. OECD. (2022). Education at a glance 2022: OECD indicators. OECD Publishing.
[22]. UNICEF. (2022). Global education monitoring report: Equity in access. UNICEF Publishing.
Cite this article
Meng,X. (2024). Education Policy and Social Justice: A Policy Framework Analysis for Improving Educational Opportunities for Marginalized Groups. Journal of Education and Educational Policy Studies,2,5-11.
Data availability
The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.
Disclaimer/Publisher's Note
The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of EWA Publishing and/or the editor(s). EWA Publishing and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.
About volume
Journal：Journal of Education and Educational Policy Studies
© 2024 by the author(s). Licensee EWA Publishing, Oxford, UK. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and
conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. Authors who
publish this series agree to the following terms:
1. Authors retain copyright and grant the series right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this
series.
2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the series's published
version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial
publication in this series.
3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and
during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See
Open access policy for details).