A Community College Instructor Like Me: Race and Ethnicity Interactions in the Classroom

S-Tier
Journal: American Economic Review
Year: 2014
Volume: 104
Issue: 8
Pages: 2567-91

Score contribution per author:

2.681 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

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

Abstract

Administrative data from a large and diverse community college are used to examine if underrepresented minority students benefit from taking courses with underrepresented minority instructors. To identify racial interactions we estimate models that include both student and classroom fixed effects and focus on students with limited choice in courses. We find that the performance gap in terms of class dropout rates and grade performance between white and underrepresented minority students falls by 20 to 50 percent when taught by an underrepresented minority instructor. We also find these interactions affect longer term outcomes such as subsequent course selection, retention, and degree completion.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:aea:aecrev:v:104:y:2014:i:8:p:2567-91
Journal Field
General
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-25