As a career educator and education administrator, I have witnessed firsthand the inequality born of the scarcity mindset when it comes to resource allocation and funding for education.
This mindset has profound consequences for children from low-income communities. Because of the prevailing scarcity mindset among policymakers, district leaders, and even some parents, the students who need the most have been chronically underserved by political and educational policies that prioritize austerity over empathy and abundance.
The Scarcity Mindset and Its Impact on Students from Low-Income Communities
The scarcity mindset is a psychological state wherein individuals and institutions believe that resources are finite and must be rationed carefully. It leads to fear-driven decision-making, needless belt-tightening measures, and a lack of investment in essential areas. In recent decades, few areas of American life have been more neglected because of scarcity thinking than public education.
When applied to educational policy, the scarcity mindset results in chronic underfunding, limited access to resources, and perpetuation of educational inequalities.
- Persistent Underfunding
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- According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), public school funding in the United States has historically been unequal, with schools serving predominantly students from lower-income communities receiving fewer resources than their wealthier counterparts. This disparity is exacerbated by the scarcity mindset, as policymakers are reluctant to allocate more funding to education, believing that the funding pie is not large enough for all to eat.
- More insidiously, I am reminded of a quote from Sarah Kendzior’s book, The View From Flyover Country, “When wealth is passed off as merit, bad luck is seen as bad character. This is how ideologues justify punishing the sick and the poor.” This is representative of a scarcity mindset. When funding is heaped upon the “haves,” it says that they are more deserving and that they are more capable of returning on the investment. It says that, as a society, we believe students from lower-income communities are somehow to blame for their circumstances.
- Students from lower-income communities often attend schools with crumbling infrastructure, outdated textbooks, and a lack of digital resources. In a digital age, this technological divide leaves them at a significant disadvantage, hindering their ability to access quality education and prepare for the future job market.
- Limited Access to Digital Resources
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- The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the digital divide in education, as schools across the country had to transition to remote learning. Students from lower-income communities were disproportionately affected, as they often lacked access to reliable internet connections and devices. According to Common Sense Media, approximately 15 million students lacked internet access or devices necessary for online learning.
- The scarcity mindset perpetuates this digital divide by underestimating the importance of equitable access to technology. Instead of viewing digital resources as a means to empower and level the playing field—or even a basic human right—policymakers have often viewed these technologies as a luxury that can only be afforded by more affluent districts.
- Perpetuation of Educational Inequalities.
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- According to a position statement by the National Association of Secondary School Principals, students from lower-income communities face myriad obstacles, including inadequate access to high-quality teachers, rigorous curriculum, and educational materials. These barriers are compounded by a scarcity mindset that posits our education system imbalance is inevitable, that the game we are playing is zero-sum, and that not every student should be entitled to a quality, equal education. This is how we find ourselves repeating a cycle of disadvantage that’s been churning for decades.
- As long as the scarcity mindset prevails, students from lower-income communities will continue to be deprived of the resources and opportunities necessary to break free from the cycle of poverty through education.
From Scarcity to Empathy and Abundance
With a collective mindset shift from scarcity and austerity to empathy and abundance we can address the educational equity gap together. This shift can spur transformative changes that benefit students from lower-income communities and pave the way for a more equitable education system. Here are three key points on how such a shift can lead to positive changes:
- Proactive Leadership
- To shift away from a scarcity mindset towards abundance, visionary leadership is essential. An emphasis on inclusivity and equal access to resources is a starting point. However, forward-thinking leaders must be zealous advocates for targeted investments in underserved communities.
- Today’s education equity leaders should curate a culture of collaboration among stakeholders. Leaders should engage with educators, parents, community leaders, nonprofits, and technology companies to create synergistic solutions. By forging partnerships and leveraging existing resources, leaders can maximize the impact and accessibility of available funds and technology.
- Community Engagement and Support.
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- A true abundance mindset recognizes the importance of engaging communities in the process of advancing educational equity. Community partnerships and support systems—nonprofits and corporate partners included—can play a crucial role in bridging opportunity and achievement gap for students from lower-income communities.
- An example of this approach can be seen in Access East Side in San Jose, California where the community came together to provide free internet access to families in East San Jose. This is the immense power of collective empathy and resource-sharing. By joining together, their community has been able to ensure that all students have the tools they need to succeed in today’s digital learning environments.
- Investment in Digital Infrastructure
- By adopting an empathy-first, abundance mindset, policymakers can recognize the importance of investing in digital infrastructure for all students, regardless of their socioeconomic background. This means prioritizing the allocation of resources to ensure that every neighborhood and school district has access to high-speed internet, modern devices, and up-to-date educational software.
- An article from the US Department of Education emphasizes the importance of digital infrastructure for digital readiness, literacy, and adoption. It examines how increased investment in digital infrastructure can level the playing field and provide equitable learning opportunities for all students. When schools have the necessary digital resources, students from lower-income communities are better equipped to participate fully in the digital age and develop essential STEM skills for the rest of their lives.
How An Abundance, Empathy-First Mindset Improves Educational Equity
- North Carolina’s Digital Learning Plan.
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- North Carolina’s Department of Public Instruction adopted an abundance mindset in its Digital Learning Plan. The plan focuses on expanding digital access to all students, especially those from low-income backgrounds, by providing devices and internet connectivity at home.
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- As reported by EdSurge, this initiative has already shown promising results. By addressing the digital divide head-on and making resources available to all, North Carolina has seen an increase in student engagement and improved access to high-quality digital educational content for students of all backgrounds and circumstances.
- Oakland Undivided
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- One successful digital education equity initiative in the Bay Area of California is Oakland Undivided. Launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the urgent need to bridge the digital divide among Oakland’s public school students, this ongoing effort has proven to be a powerful example of how leading with empathy and acting with an abundance mindset can mitigate educational disparities.
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- Oakland Undivided started as a collaborative effort between the Oakland Unified School District, community organizations, and tech companies like Tech Exchange and the Oakland Public Education Fund. The project has provided laptops, internet access, and tech support to students who lacked these resources, ensuring that no child was left behind in the shift to online learning.
The scarcity mindset has guided educational policies in this country for too long. The fact is that we possess all the resources and funding we need to end education inequality and grow opportunities for students from lower-income communities.
By shifting our collective mindset to one of empathy and abundance, we can welcome a new age of educational equity. This shift requires investment in infrastructure, support for teacher professional development, community engagement, and a collaborative, “it takes a village” ethos that finds unexpected partnerships and surprising funding streams to unlock the hidden potential of every district and every student. It is our moral and ethical duty to embrace an abundance mindset that tells children there is enough for them, that they are deserving of our very best, and that we’re all deeply invested in their future success, regardless of their socioeconomic status.