Leveraging a University to Create Local Equity-Oriented K–12 Learning Opportunities: A Conversation Starter

Abstract

This article shares our university center’s efforts to act as a boundary spanner supporting colleagues across our university to contribute collectively to more equitable educational opportunities for local K–12 students and their teachers. We focus here on the ongoing critical reflection and collaboration needed to tap such university resources to support K–12 students typically underresourced and underserved in K–12 systems. We consider examples and challenges of our work through five equity-oriented principles. We seek to highlight the role of research-practice teams on campuses that help (or could help) university partners contribute to local K–12 schools, programs, and systems with equity in mind. Finally, we hope to convince other higher education institutions to leverage their resources more to grow K–12 education opportunities locally where needs are greatest.