Immigrant Students Face Discrimination in Finland
A new study by the Helsinki Graduate School of Economics (Helsinki GSE) claims that some high school teachers in Finland show biased behavior against immigrant students in the assessment of high school matriculation exams.
After their own teachers evaluate graduation exams, students' scores undergo a blind assessment by an examination board. Research findings reveal that immigrant students receive grades 0.06 standard deviation units lower from their teachers compared to those given by the committee, unlike Finnish students.
The research indicates that discrimination becomes more evident in subjects where teachers have discretion over grading, especially when immigrant students excel. As scores rise, the grading gap between teachers and evaluators widens.
Even though teachers know their assigned grades are not final, the research suggests that bias against immigrant students might also show up in various forms within the classroom.
The research finds that immigrant students in schools with biased teachers are less likely to continue to higher education.
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