Teachers’ Racial Bias: Can Teachers Rate an African American Boy Similarly to His Racial Counterparts on Problem Behaviors for a Broad Rating Scale?

Abstract

After decades of advancement in education equality, a disproportional number of racially minoritized students are placed in special education. Addressing the disproportionality is a complicated issue due to various contributing factors. One possible cause is racial bias from teachers who rate problem behaviors of African American boys for special education evaluations. This study investigated the effect of a student’s race on teachers’ ratings of problem behavior for special education evaluations. In an online study, the race of an African American student, Asian American student, and European American student were manipulated in a vignette of a hypothetical child. Participants read one of three vignettes and completed the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment Teacher Report Form and a 7-item questionnaire. Although results evinced teachers perceived the home life of the African American student as poorer quality, no racial bias in ratings of internalizing behaviors, externalizing behaviors, referrals for special education, likelihood of postsecondary education, and academic functioning were found. The strengths, limitations, and implications for experimental studies and clinical practice for examining racial bias are discussed.

Impact Statement

This experimental study seeks to determine when manipulating the race/ethnicity of a child, can teachers rate a vignette of a student similarly on a broad rating scale. No prior study has centered African American boys, used a norm-referenced broad rating scale for both externalizing disorders and internalizing disorders in a vignette, and included national sample in an online study on racial bias in the United States of America.

Keywords:

• Disproportionality in special education
• assessment
• social–emotional
• teachers
• diversity

ASSOCIATE EDITOR:

• Scott Graves

Acknowledgment

This research was completed as a partial requirement for the first author’s receipt of a doctoral degree in school psychology at The University of Memphis. The author would like to thank his thesis committee for the initial development of this study.

DISCLOSURE

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report.

Notes

1 “Beyond help in standard or “normal” classroom settings, and that only teachers with special training can make a difference in the academic outcomes of these children.” from Rowley et al. (2014; p. 316).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Isaac L. Woods

Dr. Isaac Woods Jr. is an Assistant Professor at the University of Kentucky. His recent work has focused on assessment practices for Black youth; school and community capacity-building; and the role of professional associations in advancing social justice.