Race, Gender, and Teacher Equity Beliefs: Construct Validation of the Attributions of Mathematical Excellence Scale

Teachers’ beliefs can have powerful consequences on instructional decisions and student learning. However, there is little research that focuses on how teachers’ beliefs about the role of race and gender in mathematics teaching and learning influences educational equity within classrooms. This is partly due to the lack of studies focused on variation within classrooms, which in turn is hampered by the lack of instruments designed to measure mathematics-specific equity beliefs. In this study of 313 pre-service and practicing elementary teachers, we report evidence of construct validity for the Attributions of Mathematical Excellence Scale (AMES). Factor analyses provide support for the four-factor structure including genetic, social, personal, and educational attributions. The findings suggest that the same system of attribution beliefs underlies both racial and gender prejudice among elementary mathematics teachers. The AMES has the potential to provide a useful outcome measure for equity-focused interventions both in teacher education and professional development.