LM NovDec2017

Disrupting Inequitywith Innovation 2

Todd Dugan understands that tackling the equity gap in public education is a daunting task that requires a creative approach utilizing all of the tools available.

Dugan has focused on bringing hope and 21st Century skills to those who need it most. He talked about schools addressing outdated needs, moving from 19th Century models that prepared students for factory and agricultural jobs instead of STEM and entrepreneurship.

“Students that need the most help need the most resources,” said Dugan, superintendent of New Holland-Middletown Elementary District 88, where 99 percent of the students are considered to be low-income according to the 2017 ISBE Report Card. “We need to creatively think of ways to provide those students a more enriching school experience if we expect them to achieve at the same levels as students of prosperity. That is why it is so important to focus on equity, not equality.”

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