More Specific Criterion

How to Reduce Racial Bias in Grading by David M. Quinn
Education Next, January 1, 2021

The Implicit Bias Test is fast becoming a staple in independent schools. For those who are unfamiliar with it, the test measures the relative strength of association between various identities and characteristics, revealing the degree to which we harbor biases toward or stereotypes of different groups. David Quinn, assistant professor of education at the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education, suggests that, on its own, this sort of anti-bias training is not sufficient when it comes to changing practices in the classroom. In a recent study, Quinn's team randomly assigned teachers one of two writing samples that were virtually identical save for one detail: the student names. While half the teachers were asked to assess writing with names signaling a black student author, the other half encountered names signaling a student who was white. Not surprisingly, teachers demonstrated significant bias in favor of the white-sounding author when given vague assessment criteria. When asked to assess with specific rubrics, however, the bias was eliminated. As independent schools continue to grapple with the ways in which grading and assessment systems uphold structural inequities, Quinn's findings push us to consider how more specific criteria can be a powerful way to mitigate against our biases, even when we are already aware of them.