The Critical Issue of Excellence and Equity in Competency Testing.

The article comments on the issue of excellence and equity in competency testing in the U.S. There is sufficient evidence that shows a disproportionate numbers of minority education students that are being screened out from the teaching profession in states where competency testing is occurring. The certification of teachers through competency testing has forced educators and the public to challenge the premise underlying the philosophy of education in a democratic society. Excellence has been reduced to a quality measurable by scores on standardized examinations and excellence in teaching has been operationally defined through getting a high score on a pencil-paper test.