10.2190/9NB9-CMDF-L2BL-N2XA 9NB9CMDFL2BLN2XA 0 THE EQUITY EQUATION: EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY AND IDENTIFYING STUDENT TEACHER ATTRIBUTES AND THE NEED FOR SUPPORT SERVICES 20020509 20020509 20020509 20020509 http://baywood.metapress.com/link.asp?target=contribution&id=9NB9CMDFL2BLN2XA 3 JONATHAN L. BLACK-BRANCH AND WENDY K. LAMONT The purpose of this article is to examine the literature as it pertains to specific characteristics and attributes of candidates attending teacher education programs. This review formulates the second branch of a four-component conceptual framework from which to study issues of wellness among student teachers. The central premise of this artile is that a greater notion of equality will be achieved if teacher educators better understand the needs of their students and thus work toward tailoring support services to meet these needs. Topics of discussion include: equity and equal opportunity; student teacher attributes and the need for support services, followed by the effect of student teacher attributes on schoolchildren. Subsequent discussion turns to the attributes of student teachers, <em>per se</em>, focusing on: grade-level influences; personality and behavioral differences; immoral conduct, deviant behavior, and mental illness; age; gender; the locus of control; anxiety levels; outlook toward field experiences; ethnicity; and academic achievement.