Implicit Stereotypes in Teachers' Track Recommendations

Abstract

We study the relationship between teachers' stereotypes and students' high school choice in a setting where students can enroll in more or less demanding high school tracks. We show that teachers with negative stereotypes toward immigrants, as measured by an Implicit Association Test (IAT), are more likely to recommend lower-tier tracks to immigrant students, relative to natives with similar ability and socioeconomic background. Implicit stereotypes may thus prevent immigrant students from nurturing and developing their academic talents.