1. Improved Academic Outcomes: Studies have shown that students of color who have teachers of color have improved academic outcomes. For example, a study conducted by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that Black students who had just one Black teacher in elementary school were significantly more likely to graduate from high school and consider attending college (Dee, 2004). Similarly, a study by the Institute of Labor Economics found that having a Black teacher in elementary school can increase the likelihood of Black students pursuing college-level coursework by 7% (Jackson, 2018).
  2. Increased Sense of Belonging: Having a teacher of color can also increase a student of color’s sense of belonging and connection to their school. Research has shown that students of color who have teachers of color are more likely to report feeling understood, respected, and supported by their teachers (Gershenson et al., 2018). This sense of connection can be particularly important for students of color who may feel marginalized or isolated in predominantly White schools.
  3. Role Model and Mentorship: Finally, having a teacher of color can serve as a role model and mentor for students of color. A teacher of color can provide students with a positive example of someone who looks like them and has achieved academic and professional success. This can be particularly important for students of color who may have limited exposure to professionals who share their racial or ethnic identity (Llosa & Nunez, 2020).

References:

Dee, T. S. (2004). Teachers, race, and student achievement in a randomized experiment. The Review of Economics and Statistics, 86(1), 195-210.

Gershenson, S., Holt, S. B., & Papageorge, N. W. (2018). Who believes in me? The effect of student-teacher demographic match on teacher expectations. Economics of Education Review, 62, 170-182.

Jackson, C. K. (2018). The long-run impacts of same-race teachers. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper, 25332.

Llosa, S., & Nunez, A. (2020). Same-race role models and student outcomes: Evidence from randomized experiments. Economics of Education Review, 74, 101976.

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