Equity in education requires putting systems in place to ensure that every child has an equal chance for success. That requires understanding the unique challenges and barriers faced by individual students or by populations of students and providing additional supports to help them overcome those barriers. While this in itself may not ensure  equal outcomes, we all should strive to ensure that every child has equal opportunity. for success.  Much has been made of the difference between equity and equality. While equality means treating every student the same, equity means making sure  every student has the support they need to be successful.

The Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) defines two dimensions of equity in education:

Fairness, which means ensuring that personal and social circumstances do not prevent students from achieving their academic potential. Inclusion, which means setting a basic minimum standard for education that is shared by all students regardless of background, personal characteristics, or location. Achieving these standards requires looking at equity from several different aspects.

Monetary resources:
Is school funding equitable?
Do schools serving populations with greater needs have access to the resources they need to effectively serve these students?

Academic standards:
Are all students held to high performance standards?
How are standards modified to accommodate students with special needs?

Academic content and support:
Do all students have access to high-quality content that fits their educational needs? 
What supports are provided for students who need extra help to achieve academic goals?
Do all students have highly qualified teachers who are well prepared to meet their needs?