Opponents of certification exams have long viewed these tests as daunting obstacles for teacher candidates, especially for candidates of color.
The National Education Association, the nation’s largest teachers union, has also come out against the Praxis and other licensure exams being the only reason for keeping a teacher candidate from entering into the profession.
“Regardless of the education or training path candidates take on the way to becoming a teacher, Praxis and other licensure tests can create barriers to entering the profession,” NEA says in a statement on its website. “This is particularly true for candidates of color.” NEA added that it has been “largely documented” that standardized tests contain cultural biases.
