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Gender differences in teachers' assessments and blind test results – evidence from Uruguay

Author

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  • Marisa Bucheli

  • Florencia Amábile

  • Carmen Estrades

Abstract

This paper analyzes the existence of gender bias by public school teachers in Uruguay when grading students in the third and sixth years of primary level. The econometric strategy consists of estimating the effect of gender on the course score (non-blind outcome) when controlling by blind test scores and other relevant characteristics. We do not obtain evidence about a bias in the third year. However, we find an average bias in favor of girls in the sixth year, which responds to biases in the middle of the distribution of abilities (the extreme abilities are not gender-biased when assessed). The average results are robust to several checks. We rule out that sixth-year bias is mainly driven by statistical discrimination or explicit beliefs on talent gender stereotypes.

Suggested Citation

  • Marisa Bucheli & Florencia Amábile & Carmen Estrades, 2024. "Gender differences in teachers' assessments and blind test results – evidence from Uruguay," Documentos de Trabajo (working papers) 0324, Department of Economics - dECON.
    • Handle: RePEc:ude:wpaper:0324
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    File URL: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12008/43686
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    JEL classification:

    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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