Working Paper: NBER ID: w24128
Authors: Jaegeum Lim; Jonathan Meer
Abstract: We exploit data from middle schools in Seoul, South Korea, where students and teachers are randomly assigned to classrooms, and find that female students taught by a female versus a male teacher score higher on standardized tests compared to male students even five years later. We also find that having a female math teacher in 7th grade increases the likelihood that female students take higher-level math courses, aspire to a STEM degree, and attend a STEM-focused high school. These effects are driven by changes in students' attitudes and choices.
Keywords: teacher-student gender matches; STEM education; female students; long-term effects
JEL Codes: I20
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Female Teacher (A39) | Higher Test Scores (Female Students) (I24) |
| Female Teacher (A39) | Lower Test Scores (Male Students) (I24) |
| Female Math Teacher (7th Grade) (J16) | Higher Likelihood of Taking Higher-Level Math Courses (C12) |
| Female Math Teacher (7th Grade) (J16) | Aspiration to STEM Degree (I23) |
| Female Math Teacher (7th Grade) (J16) | Attendance at STEM-Focused High School (I23) |
| Female Teacher (A39) | Changes in Students' Attitudes and Choices (I21) |