Equity and excellence in education: SDG 4 of the 2030 agenda in the Italian context - Public education policies and their impact

This chapter focuses on the policy commitment enshrined in 2030 Agenda with respect to schooling's role for social justice and equity as a horizon of pedagogical meaning for educational action. The reflection unfolds in three steps: (1) construction of a theoretical-conceptual framework on social justice and equity, with attention to classical and non-traditional factors of inequality; (2) analysis of the idea of equity promoted by 2030 Agenda, with particular reference to Goal 4 on quality education placed in relation to Goals 5, 10, and 16; (3) focus on the Italian context through a thematic analysis of public education policies developed to achieve Goal 4 and a literature review to understand their effect, with ameliorative proposals to increase equity in the school system. This chapter delves into 2030 Agenda's strategies for equity; the focus on the Italian context may also prove useful for those school systems with similar characteristics and issues.