Identifying systemic barriers: the effects of program admission requirements on teacher candidates of color

Purpose This study investigated how GPA and standardized assessments for program admission affect students of color in an EPP. Educator preparation programs (EPPs) in colleges and universities have increased efforts to recruit more teachers of color for entry into classrooms in the US. Yet, little is known about how program admission requirements in EPPs may serve as barriers for black students and students of color. Design/methodology/approach This study examined how GPA and standardized assessments for program admission affect students of color and black students in an EPP. Findings The findings show that students of color displayed lower overall GPA, ACT and MoGEA math scores than white students, with these differences in program admission scores driven by the gap between black and white students’ scores. Yet, only ACT scores and MoGEA Math and English positively predicted the likelihood of graduation or certification, suggesting that not all program admission assessments are predictive of success in EPPs. Research limitations/implications This work has implications for how to remove systemic barriers in EPPs, with the goal of creating a more diverse and inclusive teaching profession. Originality/value Although there has been significant debate around the historic decision by the Supreme Court ending affirmative action in 2023, a surprising gap exists in quantitative research studies of EPPs’ attempts to investigate how state-mandated certification requirements affect students of color. In the limited quantitative studies that have been undertaken, researchers have mostly isolated one specific certification requirement and how this requirement affects students of color compared to their white peers. This study, instead, expands focus to the multiple certification requirements in place and how this combination affects students of color within the EPP.