ERIC Number: ED671239
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Jun
Pages: 64
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
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Available Date: 0000-00-00
Experimental Evidence on Teachers' Racial Bias in Student Evaluation: The Role of Grading Scales. EdWorkingPaper No. 20-241
David M. Quinn
Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
A vast research literature documents racial bias in teachers' evaluations of students. Theory suggests bias may be larger on grading scales with vague or overly-general criteria versus scales with clearly-specified criteria, raising the possibility that well-designed grading policies may mitigate bias. This study offers relevant evidence through a randomized web-based experiment with 1,549 teachers. On a vague grade-level evaluation scale, teachers rated a student writing sample lower when it was randomly signaled to have a Black author, versus a White author. However, there was no evidence of racial bias when teachers used a rubric with more clearly-defined evaluation criteria. Contrary to expectation, I found no evidence that the magnitude of grading bias depends on teachers' implicit or explicit racial attitudes. [Funding for this report was provided by a James H. Zumberge Individual Research Award from the University of Southern California.]
Descriptors: Racism, Grading, Ethnic Stereotypes, Educational Policy, African American Students, White Students, Student Evaluation, Preschool Education, Elementary Secondary Education, Teacher Attitudes, Writing (Composition)
Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. Brown University Box 1985, Providence, RI 02912. Tel: 401-863-7990; Fax: 401-863-1290; e-mail: annenberg@brown.edu; Web site: https://annenberg.brown.edu/
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Preschool Education; Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A