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4 Many other interventions with rigorous evaluation have improved student outcomes (such as extracurriculars and changes to discipline systems), but in this article, we focus on those with evidence of successful interventions at scale. However, evidence suggests that these investments could help shift current trajectories for education opportunities and outcomes, generating meaningful advances in equity. To be clear, these actions, even if taken at scale, may not eliminate racial disparities in pre-K–12 education. Some of these solutions may not be novel, but our experience has shown that consistent implementation of these actions, and implementation at scale, has been a challenge thus far. While this list is not exhaustive, these select areas include those in which students of color may have less access, lower quality, or fewer resources.

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3 We use the term “school systems” throughout this article to refer to both districts and charters because we believe that many of these proposed interventions are important for a full community of schools to consider together, regardless of governance. This article is a collaborative effort by Jake Bryant, Emmy Liss, Duwain Pinder, Greg Rawson, and Nina Yancy, representing views from McKinsey’s Education Practice and the McKinsey Institute for Black Economic Mobility.īased on detailed reviews of research and case studies, we have identified six actions that leaders of school systems and their communities could take to use the remaining ESSER funding to advance racial equity in education (exhibit).

For more, see “Monitoring and reporting,” Office of Elementary & Secondary Education, last updated June 14, 2023. 2 “ Halftime for the K–12 stimulus: How are districts faring?,” McKinsey, NovemESSER received funds under three COVID-19 relief packages passed by Congress: the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act and the American Rescue Plan. But the clock is ticking: the funds must be obligated by September 2024. The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) allocated $190 billion in federal funding to the nation’s schools, from prekindergarten (pre-K) to 12th grade-a resource pool that could be used to advance racial-equity investments in education.

And there are resources available to jump-start initiatives. For more, see Emma Dorn, Bryan Hancock, Jimmy Sarakatsannis, and Ellen Viruleg, “ COVID-19 and student learning in the United States: The hurt could last a lifetime,” McKinsey, June 1, 2020. 1 McKinsey analysis has estimated that had the Black and Hispanic student-achievement gap been closed in 2009, the US GDP in 2019 would have been $426 billion to $705 billion higher. Eliminating these gaps could help reverse downward trends in social mobility while potentially generating up to $700 billion in additional GDP for the nation. There is a significant opportunity to increase inclusive growth in America by closing persistent racial gaps in educational opportunities and achievement.

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