Time: 2:45 to 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time

Location: Washington Educational Research Association (WERA)/Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Annual Conference, Seattle, WA

Description: People of color face many barriers on the pathway to becoming a teacher. The tests that candidates must pass to earn their credentials are a significant barrier. This presentation will share research from the Washington Professional Educator Standards Board’s Testing Barriers Work Group, which finds that testing is a greater barrier to becoming a teacher for candidates of color than for White candidates. The session will include an overview of testing policy for teacher candidates, qualitative and quantitative descriptions of the impact of testing on teacher candidates of color, and the Work Group's recommendations.

Partnership or Research Alliance: Washington State Vibrant Teaching Force Alliance

Audience: Conference participants who are concerned about Washington state’s teacher shortage and want to explore ways to recruit, train, and retain a diverse and skilled teaching force that reflects the racial/ethnic and linguistic diversity of Washington's students are encouraged to attend.

Speakers:

• Jason Greenberg Motamedi, REL Northwest at Education Northwest
• Maria Timmons Flores, Western Washington University
• Jisu Ryo and Chelsea Wheldon, Washington’s Professional Educator Standards Board