When to call home?: the intersection of race and gender and teacher communication with parents in first grade

Abstract

ABSTRACT Previous research makes clear that racism can be a barrier to parental involvement in education. However, it is less clear how racism can facilitate parental involvement. This study uses national early childhood education data to gauge if racial/ethnic and gender disparities exist in teacher contact with parents/guardians. The study’s aims are to understand if and how race/ethnicity and gender shape teacher communication with parents/guardians, as well as if teacher-student racial matching matters. We find several racial/ethnic and gender disparities in teacher contact with parents/guardians about behavior problems, academic problems, and accomplishments. Our findings suggest that both Black boys and Black girls benefit from having a non-White teacher, although in different ways. Additionally, our findings indicate that Asian American students both benefit and are penalized by more favorable teacher perceptions. We discuss the utility of an intersectional approach for understanding teacher racial bias and student-teacher racial matching.