Black Genius, an Achievement Distortion: A Critique of Standardized Testing and Deficit Framing

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 3:35 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Unpacking Testing, Redefining Justice: Leadership, Equity, and Accountability in the 21st Century (Table 3)

Abstract

Is the achievement gap real? Using a mixed-methods approach, this study reframed standardized testing through a Quantitative and Black Critical lens. It interrogated the deficit framing of Black student achievement by asking: (1) To what extent do the aggregated state standardized test scores for Black students correlate with other measures of achievement? (2) What beliefs do Black educators have regarding the standardized test scores of Black students? and (3) How do Black educators define Black Genius? Data sources included a quantitative comparison of four achievement variables from 56 school districts, questionnaire responses, and document analysis. From the findings, the study proffers terminology to frame the issue more accurately: Black Genius, Achievement Distortion, and Connection Gap.

Author

• Brenda Burgo, University of California - Riverside