Advancing Racial Equity in Extended Clinical Practice

In this conceptual essay, we analyze a recent trend in teacher preparation: extended clinical practice. We unearth how this practice continues to perpetuate the racial status quo instead of achieving educational change. We draw on institutionalized racism to examine how and why clinical practice in P-12 schools, often viewed as the most important or impactful component of teacher preparation, preserves and supports racist schooling practices and outcomes. Our analysis highlights a set of normative assumptions within extended clinical practice that are enacted across individual, intra-organizational, and inter-organizational levels, reinforced by color-evasive practices disguised as color-neutrality. As we examine these assumptions, we identify specific racialized institutional pressures across multiple contexts. We conclude with a series of recommendations for teacher preparation that aims to advance racial equity in P-12 schooling.