Teacher Diversity (H 5699)

We supported this bill which proposes measures to increase teacher diversity but urged an amendment to restrict the use of standardized tests as a certification requirement. Before passage of the No Child Left Behind Act, Rhode Island law explicitly barred teacher applicants from being disqualified based solely on their performance on a standardized test in recognition of the documented racial disparities in the test results and lack of evidence that the tests measure anything meaningful. Unfortunately, the bill died in committee.