Validity of the cultural awareness and beliefs inventory of urban teachers: A parallel mixed methods study

Abstract

As the United States strives to meet the challenges of improving the academic achievement of African American students in large urban school districts, researchers are beginning to examine cultural awareness and beliefs of urban teachers. The present study used a parallel mixed methods design to examine the score-validity and score-reliability of a cultural awareness and beliefs inventory (CABI). This 46-item inventory measured the perceptions of 1,253 urban teachers. Specifically, the CABI measured urban teachers' cultural awareness and beliefs about their African American students. Construct validity was addressed by establishing internal consistency and content-related, structural, and substantive validities derived from analyses of two data strands. Implications of the study for policy makers, administrators, and educators, and directions for future research are provided.