In Teaching Tests, Minority Scores Fall Behind

Angela Januzzi

August 20, 2007

In Massachusetts, the state licensing exam required for public education is both facing, and creating, major obstacles for diversity in education. The writing portion of the test is now failed by 52 percent of Hispanic candidates, and failed by 54 percent of African American candidates.

Sally Dias, vice president at Emmanuel College in Boston, says that one major downfall of the dismal results is how discouraging it has become to minority student-teachers and the future of diversity on campuses. “In our experience across the colleges…fewer and fewer students of color are even going into teaching because word has gotten out that these tests are very difficult for them," says Dias.

Education deans are now beginning to question whether the structure of the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure is culturally biased. They are also concerned if the previous education of minority teaching applicants has a direct effect on how poorly the results have become on their own teaching tests.

Source: Jan, Tracy. “Minority Scores Lag on Teaching Test.” Posted: August 19, 2007.