Teacher Race and Expectations for Student Achievement

Abstract

This study investigated whether the race of elementary school teachers in black schools was associated with teachers' expectations for student achievement and perceptions of effort. A factor analysis revealed four clusters of items dealing with teacher perceptions of elementary school students' achievement and effort, and teachers' expectations for future student success in high school and college. Controlling for teachers' sex, education and years of teaching experience, and average school achievement and SES, teacher race was associated only with expectations for college success. Black teachers expected more of their students to enter and complete college than white teachers. Additional evidence suggested that this teacher race difference was relatively independent of the student racial composition of the schools. The implications of teacher race as a determinant of differential expectations for the success of black students are discussed.