The Role of Teacher-Student Ethnoracial Matching in Student Identification for Special Education Services
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| Title: | The Role of Teacher-Student Ethnoracial Matching in Student Identification for Special Education Services |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Anna J. Egalite (ORCID |
| Source: | Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis. 2026 48(2):567-588. |
| Availability: | SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 22 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Elementary Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Racial Composition, Ethnicity, Race, Minority Group Students, Minority Group Teachers, Special Education, Disability Identification, Elementary Secondary Education, Public Schools, Disproportionate Representation, Gender Differences, Instructional Program Divisions, School Size, Student Characteristics, Referral |
| Geographic Terms: | Massachusetts |
| DOI: | 10.3102/01623737251352831 |
| ISSN: | 0162-3737 1935-1062 |
| Abstract: | The importance of teacher-student ethnoracial matching has been established as influential for students of color, with small but consistent impacts observed on a variety of outcomes including achievement, attendance, graduation, and college enrollment. Yet, little attention has been paid to the role of ethnoracial matching for students with disabilities. We ask if teacher-student ethnoracial matching is associated with a student's referral for an initial special education evaluation. To address this, we rely on student-level longitudinal data for all Massachusetts public school students from kindergarten through Grade 12 between 2011 and 2018. Using a model that features school, grade, and year fixed effects, we report a 5% reduction in the likelihood of referral for special education evaluation when students share ethnoracial characteristics with their teachers. This is especially true in large schools (6% reduction) and appears to be driven by boys (7% reduction). We discuss implications as they pertain to the special education context. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1505885 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | The importance of teacher-student ethnoracial matching has been established as influential for students of color, with small but consistent impacts observed on a variety of outcomes including achievement, attendance, graduation, and college enrollment. Yet, little attention has been paid to the role of ethnoracial matching for students with disabilities. We ask if teacher-student ethnoracial matching is associated with a student's referral for an initial special education evaluation. To address this, we rely on student-level longitudinal data for all Massachusetts public school students from kindergarten through Grade 12 between 2011 and 2018. Using a model that features school, grade, and year fixed effects, we report a 5% reduction in the likelihood of referral for special education evaluation when students share ethnoracial characteristics with their teachers. This is especially true in large schools (6% reduction) and appears to be driven by boys (7% reduction). We discuss implications as they pertain to the special education context. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0162-3737 1935-1062 |
| DOI: | 10.3102/01623737251352831 |
