Uneven Benefits of Demographic Matching: Race, Gender, and the Role of Social Context in School Discipline

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 18
  In Roundtable Session: School Discipline

Abstract

Research has shown that students assigned to a same race teacher have better educational outcomes than those who experience a racial mismatch. Less attention has been paid, however, to the social contexts in which these relationships do or do not exist. Using data from the Educational Longitudinal Study, I examine the associations between teacher-student race matching, school discipline and teacher racial composition. I find that white female students receive the largest benefits from demographic matching while Black female students experience worse disciplinary outcomes with same-race teachers. I also find some evidence that the race matching and discipline link varies by the sociocultural context of the school.

Author

• Steven Jefferson