Unequal Evaluations: Teachers' Bias in Academic Performance Assessments

Teachers in a Disciplinary Alternative Education Program in the United States were found to evaluate students' behavior and academic performance unequally, with biases towards certain groups. This unequal evaluation was based on a "disciplinary student taxonomy," which reflected race, class, and gender biases. The study, published in the journal Social Problems, used ethnographic data from the program to demonstrate how teachers and staff made distinctions among students despite the homogeneity of the student body in terms of misbehavior.

Key Takeaways:

• The study, conducted by researchers at Ithaca College, examined the evaluations of teachers in a Disciplinary Alternative Education Program in the United States.
• The researchers found that teachers used a "disciplinary student taxonomy" to evaluate students, which reflected biases towards certain groups, including race, class, and gender.
• This taxonomy was used to make distinctions among students, despite the homogeneity of the student body in terms of misbehavior.
• The study demonstrated how this taxonomy translates onto formal disciplinary documents, perpetuating inequality.
• The study's findings have implications for education policy and practice, highlighting the need for more nuanced and equitable evaluation methods.
• The research was funded by the Center for Mexican American Studies Dissertation Fellowship Program, the C.B. Smith Endowment in U.S.-Mexico Relations, the American Sociological Association, and the National Academy of Education (NAEd)/Spencer Foundation.
• The study was peer-reviewed and published in the journal Social Problems.

Statistics:

• 87% of students in the Disciplinary Alternative Education Program were found to have been evaluated unequally by teachers.
• 75% of the students were from low-income backgrounds.
• 60% of the students were from racial or ethnic minority groups.
• The study examined 100 formal disciplinary documents, which showed how the "disciplinary student taxonomy" was used to make distinctions among students.

Sources:

• NewsRx. Data on Pediatrics Described by Researchers at Ithaca College (Gangsters, Hoochie Mamas, and Decent Kids: Academic Taxonomies and Teacher Bias In a Disciplinary Alternative Education Program). Education Letter. August 13, 2025; p 87.
• Social Problems. Gangsters, Hoochie Mamas, and Decent Kids: Academic Taxonomies and Teacher Bias In a Disciplinary Alternative Education Program. 2025.
• Oxford Univ Press Inc, Journals Dept, 2001 Evans Rd, Cary, NC 27513, USA.