Do All Students Have Equal Opportunities? A BGCA National Youth Advisory Council Perspective

This blog is first of a series with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America National Youth Advisory Council, created to share and express the issues and ideas that matters to youth while reaching a national audience. Through this space, we hope to acknowledge real life experiences, problems and perspectives that are often overlooked. Today’s post was co-authored by Brook’Lynn H. from Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota and Serigne B. from Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta.

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Inequalities In Learning Opportunities

What are Educational Disparities?

When considering disparities in education, do you think about all the factors that might contribute to them? Educational disparities happen when schools and students are faced with the unequal distribution of opportunities and resources. In the video below, you can see how factors like community wealth, where you live, funding, and access to certain resources can shape the quality and value of educations students receive. In the United States, funding for schools mostly comes from local property taxes, which means that the school in the wealthier neighborhoods tend to receive a greater amount of money then school in lower income areas. That is one big factor that usually leads to differences in class sizes, teacher quality, learning materials, and technology. Other common factors like family income, community support systems, and access to technology and the internet also influence educational disparities which usually occur outside of school. There are programs like the Boys & Girls Club to help address these gaps, providing an after-school program that offers mentorship, tutoring, and a safe learning environment for youth who may not have the same academic opportunities elsewhere. In the end, when you look at the bigger picture, educational disparities matter because they don’t just affect classrooms; they affect future opportunities, students’ careers, and the overall quality of life.

Private School Life: Resources And Support

Smaller Classes, More Resources, And Personalized Attention: Brook’Lynns Point Of View

From my private school perspective, sometimes it was harder to notice educational disparities when private schools often have more resources. As a student at a private Catholic school, over the last 6 years I have experienced smaller class sizes, advanced technology, and curriculum, which is crucial to students because it provides a structured learning environment where teachers are able to provide more one on one attention and individual support. In public schools, with a greater ratio of students per teacher, it tends to become harder for teachers to provide that one-on-one time that students need. Private schools are often funded through a base rate of tuition and community support, which help supply academic programs and updated material. A downside to private education could be the cost of tuition. Because private schools require tuition, not all students have the chance to attend, which highlights how getting access to a private education can be dependent on financial circumstances.

One of the biggest challenges I have faced in my education was constantly having to adapt to change. In my sixth grade school year, I went through five different teachers, which made it particularly difficult to feel supported and stay consistent. Ultimately, it was very frustrating and made it hard for to stay on track academically. Later, when I move from a public school setting to a private school, I immediately noticed huge differences. There was smaller environment, stability, and stronger support system that helped me regain my focus and confidence. This experience showed me how much a learning environment can impact students ability to succeed, also a big part of why I care about this issue today.

Public School Life: Diversity And Challenges

Diverse Classrooms Facing Funding Challenges: Serigne’s Point Of View

Public schools, like the one I attend in Atlanta, Georgia, serve entire communities and are open to all students. For public schools most of them tend to rely on government funding and local property taxes, which can limit and or give full access to resources depending on the area. Schools in lower income areas are prone to having fewer resources and larger class sizes than schools in wealthier districts and areas. Despite many challenges that the public school system face, it has been known for many years that public schools provide education to millions of students every day, playing a critical role in supporting diversities no matter who you are or where you may come from.

Private Vs Public: Opportunities And Gaps

How Resources, Class Sizes, And Accessibility Create Different Student Experiences

Private and public schools differ in many ways, including in two key areas: the resources they have and how they are funded. While it was shown that private schools often have the advantages of smaller classes and extra academic programs, public schools serve all students but are sometimes faced with funding limitations which affect education opportunities. Not having those resources has shown that there has been a gap in outcomes such as reading proficiency. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, eighth grade private school students averaged about 20 points higher than public school or charter students on the NAEP reading test in 2024, and fourth grade private school students scored 16 points higher. This is just one of the factors we see that differs between types of education. Test scores, grades, behavior, and many other elements all contribute to educational disparities. Providing this chart shows how unequal access to resources and funding shape students’ success, which highlights why addressing these disparities matters for every single student.

Taking Action: How We Can Help

Steps Students, Communities, And Policymakers Can Take To Make Education Are Equitable

Knowing what we know about educational disparities, we won’t just sit back and let it continue, we all have a role to play. The Boys & Girls Club already is doing amazing work providing mentoring, programs, tutoring, and safe spaces for students who may or may not need extra support. This isn’t the end, there is more we can do and it all starts with us as a society getting involved. We can take action by volunteering at our local school and clubs to give students the help they need. Raise awareness by talking to our peers about why this is so important for our current and future generations. Having support programs that provide resources like books, technologies and other supplies that schools may not have. It’s not the last action but one of the most important ones: advocating. Push for fair school funding so that every school can give students opportunities that they deserve.

This isn’t something one person can fix alone. It’s a collaborative group effort that takes all of us working together. All the time we volunteer, every donation we make, and every voice that will help raise awareness for all students to get the education they need to succeed. If we all put one hand in, we can make a real difference, we can, and we will make education equal for everyone.

About the Authors

Learn more about all the incredible members of the inaugural National Youth Advisory Council at BGCA.org.

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