Children’s learning and development can be influenced by the circumstances in which they grow up, such as their cultural background, their socioeconomic status, or where they live. Equity in education is when education succeeds in establishing a ‘level playing field’: when a child’s background characteristics do not predict their learning and development outcomes. When children from particular demographic groups, certain types of schools or early childhood centres consistently show poorer outcomes, it suggests they are experiencing educational disadvantage and that our education system is not equitable.
To achieve AERO’s vision of excellent and equitable outcomes for all children and young people in Australia, we need to use evidence to find out what works to address disadvantage. One of our priorities is to better understand educational disadvantage: where it comes from, what the impact is and the best ways to address it.