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Does student-teacher race match affect course grades?

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  • Harbatkin, Erica

Abstract

A growing body of research has found that student-teacher race match is associated with higher test scores, teacher expectations, and teacher perceptions of students. This paper contributes to the student-teacher race match literature by investigating the effect of race match on course grades. To the extent that race match is associated with higher course grades for minority students, a more diverse teacher workforce is one mechanism that may help to narrow the achievement gap. Using a series of fixed effects models exploiting within-student variation across year and subject matter, I find that having a race-matched teacher is associated with a small but significant increase in course grade, on average. The positive effect of race match is driven largely by the experience of Black students.

Suggested Citation

  • Harbatkin, Erica, 2021. "Does student-teacher race match affect course grades?," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecoedu:v:81:y:2021:i:c:s0272775721000042
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2021.102081
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    References listed on IDEAS

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