Expanding the Case for Student–Teacher Race/Ethnicity Matching: Implications for Students with Disabilities and English Learners

A large and growing body of research demonstrates the benefits of assigning students to teachers who share their racial or ethnic backgrounds. These benefits range from improved test scores and attendance to reduced suspension rates and higher graduation and college enrollment rates. Yet much of this evidence has been limited to the general student population. Our recent studies extend this literature by focusing on two student groups often overlooked in research and policy: (a) students with disabilities (SWDs) and (b) English learners (ELs). Taken together, the evidence underscores the need for educational researchers and policymakers to consider not just broad teacher diversity efforts, but also the targeted importance of race-matching—and in some cases language-matching—for students facing additional systemic barriers.