Many students enter the education system carrying a cumulative burden of poverty, family
instability, and structurally constrained opportunities—factors that profoundly shape their
educational trajectories. For these socially disadvantaged students, schooling becomes a gamble:
schools may either entrench intergenerational inequality or serve as a powerful catalyst for social
change (Bourdieu, 1977). While education is often viewed as a key pathway out of poverty, it can
reproduce existing social hierarchies when it fails to account for unequal starting points. For
instance, schools that rely heavily on parental involvement, extracurricular enrichment, or
standardized assessments may inadvertently privilege students from more affluent backgrounds.
Similarly, when curricula and teaching practices reflect dominant cultural norms and expectations,
they can marginalize students whose lived experiences differ from those norms. In such cases,
schooling not only reflects existing social stratification but also reinforces it, making it harder for
disadvantaged students to break the cycle of inequality. The recognition that schooling does not
automatically reduce social inequality but can potentially exacerbate it demands that we view
educational equity as a fundamental goal requiring sustained commitment and intentional action.
The pursuit of equity in education is not optional; it is essential. The key question is not whether to
support these students, but how—and with what urgency.
Research over the past few decades has highlighted this urgency and systematically documented
the mechanisms by which educational inequality persists. Socioeconomic status is among the
strongest predictors of academic success (Sirin, 2005). Students from economically disadvantaged
families face a complex web of barriers—from lower parental educational aspirations to more limited
participation in school life (Klein et al., 2020). These patterns shape what is commonly referred to
as the “achievement gap”—a widely known term that unfortunately fails to capture the full scope of
disadvantage these students face daily. In many countries, including the UK and the Czech
Republic, this gap is further deepened by the fact that school quality often correlates with the
socioeconomic profile of the local area. Schools in more deprived or socially segregated areas tend
to have fewer resources, face greater difficulty in attracting and retaining experienced teachers, and
offer more limited access to enrichment opportunities—factors that systematically reproduce
educational disadvantage (OECD, 2023).
Although academic outcomes matter, tracking them in isolation may not reveal the full complexity
of the problem. Social disadvantage also manifests in a student’s overall approach to school,
teachers, and classmates (Obrovská et al., 2024; Tomaszewski et al., 2020). The concept of
student engagement—active involvement at behavioral, cognitive, and affective levels—thus
becomes central (Fredricks et al., 2004). Higher engagement is associated with better academic
outcomes, lower rates of early school leaving, and overall more positive life trajectories (Fall &
Roberts, 2012). The affective dimension of engagement—how students feel at school and the
emotional relationship they have to it—assumes particular importance in an era characterized by
what many describe as a loneliness epidemic and rising mental health challenges among young
people (Haidt, 2025; Wang et al., 2004). For disadvantaged children, school can represent the only
island of stability—a place of lasting relationships, recognition, and the development of potential.
The question is how to support students’ academic outcomes as well as their emotional well-being
at school (Majcík & Obrovská, 2025).
Extracurricular activities have emerged as a key means of building engagement and resilience.
Participation in out-of-school programs provides disadvantaged students with opportunities to
develop competencies, build positive relationships, and experiment with different roles and
identities in a safe environment (Mahoney et al., 2005; Navrátilová & Fico, 2024). Studies show that
regular participation can significantly contribute to academic success and the psychosocial
development of socially disadvantaged students (Lareau, 2003; Neely et al., 2017; O’Donnell et al.,
2024; Peguero et al., 2015). A supportive school environment together with access to
extracurricular activities can thus be a key factor in building resilience—the capacity to overcome
structural barriers and thrive in the face of adversity (e.g., Mahoney et al., 2005).
Addressing social disadvantages requires going beyond the school walls. The roots of educational
inequalities reach deep into family structures, community ties, policy and systemic issues, and
broader societal mechanisms—but also into the very design of educational systems themselves. In
many ways, contemporary education still reflects structures established during the industrial
revolution, designed to sort and select rather than to nurture all learners equitably. While this model
may have served its original purpose, it is increasingly unfit for the challenges of today. Moreover,
educational policymaking often remains firmly rooted in meritocratic principles, prioritizing equality
of opportunity over equality of outcomes—a distinction that can inadvertently perpetuate rather than
dismantle structural disadvantage (Littler, 2018; Reay, 2017). Effective support must therefore be
inherently multi-contextual and transformative—encompassing pedagogical strategies and
teacher–student relationships, and also active family engagement, partnerships with community
organizations, coordinated social services, and critical reflection on systemic barriers embedded
within education policy itself (Bronfenbrenner, 1981; Epstein, 2018).
This special issue invites you to submit contributions that examine approaches to supporting
socially disadvantaged students. We focus on children and young people from the moment they
enter the education system until they leave it. We welcome studies focused on diverse educational
contexts, ranging from formal schooling to non-formal educational activities. We particularly value
contributions that reflect the complexity and diversity of experiences among disadvantaged groups
and offer practical implications for education policy. Submissions may include empirical studies
(qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods), theoretical contributions, systematic reviews, and
case studies of innovative practices.
Key thematic areas include:
– Multi-contextual support: In what ways can socially disadvantaged students be effectively
supported across different educational settings—within schools, tutoring programs, and out-of-
school activities run by social services and non-governmental organizations? How can these
forms of support be coordinated for optimal synergistic effect?
– Roles of school actors and pedagogical practice: What specific roles do teachers, school
counselors, special educators, and social pedagogues play in supporting disadvantaged
students? How can these professionals be better prepared and supported in this crucial role?
What systemic conditions enable effective collaboration among different school actors? How
can instruction be organized to address the needs of socially disadvantaged students? Which
concrete teaching practices and strategies support academic success and engagement?
– Extracurricular activities and engagement: What role do organized out-of-school activities
play in supporting socially disadvantaged students? How can equitable access to high-quality
extracurricular programs be ensured? What mechanisms does participation in extracurricular
activities contribute to building student engagement, resilience, and positive developmental
trajectories?
– Diversity within disadvantage: What are the specific needs and challenges of different groups
of socially disadvantaged students—children with a migration background, members of ethnic
minorities, and young people growing up outside their biological families (including those in out-
of-home care, foster families, or other alternative care arrangements)? What targeted
interventions and support strategies best address the unique experiences of these groups?
– Support for families and communities: How can we effectively support the families of socially
disadvantaged children and students? Which forms of parental involvement and community
partnership prove most effective? How can we overcome barriers that prevent families from
actively participating in their children’s education?
– Resilience and protective factors: Which factors strengthen resilience in socially
disadvantaged students? How can schools and other educational institutions systematically
build protective factors that help students thrive despite adversity? What is the role of student
engagement in the process of building resilience?
The deadline for submission of abstracts is April 15, 2026, and full papers should be submitted by
September 30, 2026. This special issue will be published in English in June 2027. Abstracts should
contain a title and a list of authors and provide a summary of the study.
Abstracts and full texts should be sent to studiapaedagogica@phil.muni.cz. Articles must be written
in US English and adhere to the journal’s author guidelines. Manuscripts will undergo a double-
blind peer-review process, based on which editors will select papers for publication. If you have any
questions about your topic’s suitability for this special issue, contact the editorial office at the email
address above.
You can find more information at http://www.studiapaedagogica.cz
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