Slaying Ghosts in the Room: How Licensure Exams Become Racialized Testing Events for Black Preservice Teachers

• In Event: Achieving Certification: Factors That Impact Success and Potential Outcomes

Abstract

Empirical research on teacher licensure exams has illustrated that they do not function uniformly across racial groups. With this background, this paper reports findings from a 4-year, qualitative study exploring how Black preservice teachers experience the comprehensive “testing event” of licensure exams (e.g., Praxis). Using the social psychological construct of identity contingencies/threats, this study found the testing event can become a radicalized experience for some Black students in two ways: (a) specific interactions with proctors and site administrators and (b) the racial composition and actions of other test takers. Importantly, these racialized experiences were not based upon any specific test questions or content. From these findings, this paper outlines ways to reduce identity threats that likely undermine performance.

Author

• Emery Marc Petchauer, Oakland University