Abstract
This chapter critically examines the continued use of cognitive assessment in school psychology using a lens of Critical Study of Whiteness. Acknowledging that whiteness is a socially bound construct that perpetuates racist ideologies, this chapter explores beliefs tied to cognitive assessment and its effects on the education of students of color, specifically Black students and emergent bilingual students. This chapter offers a historical context for IQ testing, describes its ties to eugenics and the continued segregation of children in schools, analyzes cognitive assessment using Critical Study of Whiteness, and discusses contemporary issues related to cognitive tests and their subsequent effects on student outcomes. Specifically, this chapter invites the reader to: (a) reflect on their own biases and those entrenched within their field, (b) critically assess beliefs surrounding intelligence, (c) question the continued use of cognitive assessment altogether, and especially with Black and Emerging Bilingual students, and (d) become advocates and activists in the pursuit of social justice and racially just practices.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Critical Theories for School Psychology and Counseling |
| Subtitle of host publication | A Foundation for Equity and Inclusion in School-Based Practice |
| Publisher | Taylor and Francis |
| Pages | 144-158 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9781000475241 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780367405649 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2021 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Social Sciences
- General Psychology