Teacher performance pay is often introduced with the goal of reducing gaps in test scores across groups, yet little is known about how well they achieve this aim. We ask, “Do test score-based teacher incentives impact the Black–White test score gap?” Using student–teacher matched data and a difference-in-differences approach in which the performance of a teacher’s students before and after the policy is compared, we find that performance pay increases the conditional Black–White gap. The effect is particularly evident when bonuses are large, consistent with a causal response to performance pay.
Join our growing database of equity-driven resources and make your work discoverable by educators, researchers, and change-makers across the globe. Upload your documents and seamlessly embed them on your own platform.
All submissions are reviewed and approved within a few days—we’ll notify you once your resource is live.
The Racial Equity Consciousness Database (RECD) is a groundbreaking initiative designed to address systemic racism by providing a comprehensive platform for accessing resources dedicated to advancing racial equity worldwide.