Unveiling Narratives: Advancing Equity in Psychometric Testing Through Black Scholars' Perspectives

Session Type: Coordinated Paper Session

Abstract

This coordinated paper session illuminates the multifaceted landscape of educational measurement, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging the past while charting a course towards a more equitable future. Comprising four papers, this session embarks on a journey that spans the past, present, and future of bias in testing, guided by emerging Black scholars in psychometrics. The first paper provides a succinct historical overview of psychometrics, honing in on bias in testing, spanning from the 1890s to the present. The second paper offers an exploration of the groundbreaking work of Robert Lee Williams, highlighting his contributions and the challenges he faced. The third paper delves into contemporary practices of differential item functioning (DIF) analyses and their implications, illustrating how traditional conceptions of race and ethnicity continue to shape testing practices. Lastly, the session concludes by examining the narratives of present-day Black psychometricians, showcasing how they confront the weaponization of their identity in their daily work.

Sub Unit

• Individual Papers, Innovation Demonstrations, Coordinated Sessions, or Organized Discussions

Session Organizer

• Malitsitso Moteane, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Chair

• Fiona Hinds, Mahogany Consulting & Assessment Partners

Individual Presentations

• Revisiting Psychometrics History: Black Scholars' New Perspective on Psychometric Development - Malitsitso Moteane, University of North Carolina at Greensboro; Teneka Steed; Janine Haynes, Prince George's County Public Schools

• An ode to the contributions of Robert Lee Williams to educational testing - Brianna Hooks-Singletary, UNCG; Malitsitso Moteane, University of North Carolina at Greensboro; HENRY MAKINDE, Student; Jaylin N Nesbitt, WestEd

• Critically exploring race and ethnicity as grouping variables in DIF studies - Malitsitso Moteane, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

• The Lived Experiences of Black Psychometricians in Academia and Industry - Janine Haynes, Prince George's County Public Schools; Teneka Steed; Brianna Hooks-Singletary, UNCG

Discussants

• Micheline Chalhoub-Deville, UNIVERSITY NORTH CAROLINA, GRE

• Damon Bryant