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This book makes a compelling case for better international equity indicators in education. A conceptual framework for a system of comparable indicators is proposed and a spectrum of findings and perspectives presented. Topics include: the sociology of equality and equity in education; the application of theories of justice to educational equity, the trade-off between effectiveness and equity, heterogeneous versus homogeneous classrooms, and the influence of parental education.

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Introduction. Part I: Theoretical Approaches and Conceptual Issues. 1. Equity and Education: A critical review of sociological research and thought; L. Benadusi. 2. Efficiency and Equity; M. Demeuse, et al. 3. School Equity as a Matter of Justice; D. Meuret. 4. Why Education Matters: Race, ethnicity, poverty and American school-equity research; D. Cochrane. Part II: Equity Indicators: A Framework, A Rationale and Current Perspectives. 5. A System of Equity Indicators for Educational Systems; D. Meuret. 6. Why Data Collection Matters: The role of race and poverty indicators in American education; G. Orfield. 7. International Equity Indicators in Education and Learning in Industrialized Democracies: Some recent results and avenues for the future; T. Healy, D. Istance. 8. Monitoring Educational Disparities in Less Developed Countries; V. Cavicchioni, A. Motivans. Part III: International Comparisons on Equity Issues. 9. Is There an Effectiveness-Equity Trade-off? A cross-country comparison using TIMSS test scores; V. Vandenberghe, et al. 10. Equity Indicators Based on the Provision of Supplemental Resources for Disabled and Disadvantaged Students; P. Evans. 11. Educational Equity: Social interactions might matter; V. Vandenberghe. 12. Intergenerational Inequities: A comparative analysis of the influence of parents´ educational background on length of schooling and literacy skills; S. No‰l, P. de Broucker. Part IV: National Policies and the Use of Indicators. 13. Equity and Equivalence in the Swedish SchoolSystem; A. Wildt-Persson, P.G. Rosengren. 14. Narrowing the Gap: Educational equity policy in Flanders; K. Dewitt, P. Van Petegem. 15. Economics and Demographics in Metropolitan Communities: An argument for international equity indicators; D. Cochrane. Index.

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