Teacher Underestimation of the Academic Ability of Minority Students and Lowered Student Expectations

• In Event: 478 - Section on Sociology of Education Paper Session. Understanding and Identifying Sources of Educational Inequalities

Abstract

Debates focus on whether teacher perceptions of student ability – perceptions that have been linked to student achievement – are based solely on academic performance. One side of the debate contends that teachers perceive racial/ethnic differences in students’ academic abilities, while others hold that teacher perceptions are not biased. A novel approach to research on teacher perceptions is to compare perceptions of different subject-matter teachers and to examine whether the association between perceptions and later outcomes varies for students belonging to different racial/ethnic groups. Using longitudinal data from the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002, a nationally representative sample of high school sophomores in 2002, I focus on Math and English teacher perceptions that their class is too difficult for students and the link between underestimation of academic ability and student expectations. Results show that teachers are more likely to perceive that their class is too difficult for minority students compared to White students. Math teachers consistently perceive their class to be too difficult for Black students, even after controlling for math test scores, teacher perceptions of performance and effort, and a host of other factors. English teachers underestimate the academic abilities of Black and Latino students, and in some models, Asian American students. Both math and English teacher’s underestimation of student academic ability is associated with lower student expectations of themselves later on in high school. Moreover, Black students are particularly disadvantaged by math teacher’s underestimation and Latino students by English teacher’s low perceptions of their academic ability.

Author

• Hua-Yu Sebastian Cherng, New York University