Racial (Mis)Match in Middle School Mathematics Classrooms: Relational Interactions as a Racialized Mechanism
Abstract
While research has consistently shown the positive effects of having a teacher of the same race on various student outcomes, the literature has not examined how racial match affects the everyday interactions within classrooms. This research article by Dan Battey, Luis A. Leyva, Immanuel Williams, Victoria A. Belizario, Rachel Greco, and Roshni Shah addresses this underexplored area by documenting relational interactions in classrooms to find one mechanism that could be producing racialized effects on learning. Using a dataset from a study of twenty-five mathematics classrooms across predominantly white and black US middle schools, they examine the quality of relational interactions when teachers and students are racially matched and mismatched, as well as the effects on student achievement in mathematics. Their analysis shows how various dimensions of relational interactions significantly predict increases and decreases in achievement due to racial match.
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White teachers in classrooms that have a greater majority of Black students have more negative interactions with students regarding classroom behavior compared to White teachers in predominately White classrooms and Black teachers in predominately Black classrooms.
“Battey et al. (2018) study 25 middle school classrooms and find that White teachers in classrooms that have a greater majority of Black students have more negative interactions with students regarding classroom behavior compared to White teachers in predominately White classrooms and Black teachers in predominately Black classrooms.”
From The Effects of Student–Teacher Ethnoracial Matching on Chronic Absenteeism: Exploring the Role of Relational Dynamics in Early Education (2025) · cites this paper as Battey et al. (2018)
In racially matched scenarios, teachers often manage behavior discretely and respectfully, appreciating the social and emotional ramifications of public reprimands.
“In racially matched scenarios, teachers often manage behavior discretely and respectfully, appreciating the social and emotional ramifications of public reprimands (Battey et al., 2018).”
From The Effects of Student–Teacher Ethnoracial Matching on Chronic Absenteeism: Exploring the Role of Relational Dynamics in Early Education (2025) · cites this paper as Battey et al., 2018
White teachers of Black students were more likely to have more emotionally tense interactions with students rather than privately pulling them aside for a conversation.
“Furthermore, White teachers of Black students were more likely to have more emotionally tense interactions with students rather than privately pulling them aside for a conversation.”
From The Effects of Student–Teacher Ethnoracial Matching on Chronic Absenteeism: Exploring the Role of Relational Dynamics in Early Education (2025) · cites this paper as Battey et al. (2018)
Ethnoracially matched teachers are more likely to provide feedback and support in culturally resonant and affirming ways, enhancing students' academic and social development.
“Ethnoracially matched teachers are more likely to provide feedback and support in culturally resonant and affirming ways, enhancing students' academic and social development (Battey et al., 2018;Gay, 2015).”
From The Effects of Student–Teacher Ethnoracial Matching on Chronic Absenteeism: Exploring the Role of Relational Dynamics in Early Education (2025) · cites this paper as Battey et al., 2018
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- Authors
- BATTEY, D., LEYVA, L. A., WILLIAMS, I., BELIZARIO, V. A., GRECO, R., & SHAH, R.
- Affiliations
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (US)
- Vanderbilt University (US)
- California Polytechnic State University (US)
- Venue
- Harvard Educational Review
- Publisher
- Harvard Education Publishing Group
- Published
- 2018
- Volume
- 88
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 455-482
- ISSN
- 0017-8055 (ISSN-L)
- 1943-5045
- OpenAlex
- W2907388090
- Cited by
- 30
- References
- 30
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 2
- FWCI
- 6.26
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Harvard Educational Review (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Critical Race Theory in Education
- Social Sciences › Education › School Choice and Performance
- Social Sciences › Education › Educational Environments and Student Outcomes
- Keywords
- relational interaction, classroom interaction, mathematics achievement, junior high school mathematics, predominantly white schools, predominantly Black schools, teacher race, academic performance
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