This article presents the results of a mixed-methods study that examined how state policy requiring the use of high-stakes teacher performance assessments (TPAs) affected candidates enrolled in urban teacher preparation programs in the Midwest. The data reveal that despite institutional pass rates above the national average, the edTPA process negatively affected candidates' sense of self-efficacy, agency, and readiness to engage in culturally and contextually responsive teaching. The article concludes with an analysis of how TPA policies socialize preservice teachers to prioritize compliance over agency, with troubling implications for urban teachers, students, and school communities.