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Racial Interaction Effects and Student Achievement

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  • Jeffrey Penney

    (Department of Economics Pontificia Universidad Javeriana S.J., Bogotá D.C., Colombia)

Abstract

Previous research has found that students who are of the same race as their teacher tend to perform better academically. This paper examines the possibility that both dosage and timing matter for these racial complementarities. Using a model of education production that explicitly accounts for past observable inputs, a conditional differences-in-differences estimation procedure is used to nonparametrically identify dynamic treatment effects of various sequences of interventions. Applying the methodology to Tennessee's Project STAR class size experiment, I find that racial complementarities may vary considerably according to the treatment path. Early exposures to same-race teachers yield benefits that persist in the medium run. This same-race matching effect may explain a nontrivial portion of the black–white test score gap.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeffrey Penney, 2017. "Racial Interaction Effects and Student Achievement," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 12(4), pages 447-467, Fall.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:edfpol:v:12:y:2017:i:4:p:447-467
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    Cited by:

    1. Kelvin K. C. Seah, 2021. "Do you speak my language? The effect of sharing a teacher's native language on student achievement," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 88(1), pages 245-273, July.
    2. Bohdana Kurylo, 2021. "The Impact of Same-Race Teachers on Student Behavioral Outcomes," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp695, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    3. Penney, Jeffrey, 2023. "Same race teachers do not necessarily raise academic achievement," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 223(C).

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