Persistent Effects of Teacher–Student Gender Matches

A-Tier
Journal: Journal of Human Resources
Year: 2020
Volume: 55
Issue: 3

Authors (2)

Jaegeum Lim (not in RePEc) Jonathan Meer (Texas A&M University)

Score contribution per author:

2.011 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

Many existing studies find that females perform better when they are taught by female teachers. However, there is little evidence on what the long-run impacts may be and through what mechanisms these impacts may emerge. We exploit panel data from middle schools in Seoul, South Korea, where students and teachers are randomly assigned to classrooms. We replicate the existing literature that examines contemporaneous effects and find that female students taught by a female versus a male teacher score higher on standardized tests compared to male students even five years later. We also find that having a female math teacher in seventh grade increases the likelihood that female students attend a STEM-focused high school, take higher-level math courses, and aspire to a STEM degree. These effects are driven by changes in students’ attitudes and choices.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:uwp:jhriss:v:55:y:2020:i:3:p:809-835
Journal Field
Labor
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-26