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Statistics: Male Students Are Falling Behind
posted by: Ruthie | July 10, 2013, 12:59 PM   


Our great nation is known for the constant pursuit of equality and for “offering every citizen “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” In education, while there is an increasing focus on minority achievement, especially for African American and Hispanic students, few people are acknowledging the growing disparity in gender achievement in the United States.


According to 
New York Times bestselling author Michael Gurian, for every 100 girls suspended from elementary and secondary school, 250 boys are suspended. For every 100 girls diagnosed with a learning disability, 276 boys are so diagnosed. Also, for every 100 girls expelled from school, 355 boys are expelled.

 

Similarly, boys are expelled from preschool at five times the rate of girls, and boys are 60% more likely to be held back in kindergarten than girls. More girls than boys take college prep courses in high school and take the SAT. On average, girls get better grades than boys and graduate with high GPA’s. Considering these statistics it is not at all surprising that more girls receive college degrees.

In his book, 
Why Boys Fail, Richard Whitmire reports that the reading skills of the average 17-year-old boy have steadily declined over the last 20 years. According to estimates, if 5% more boys completed high school and matriculated to college, the nation would save $8 billion a year in welfare and criminal justice costs.

The trend doesn’t just stop in high school or undergraduate programs.
Fifty-eight percent of graduate students are women. 2011 marked the third straight year that women have received the majority of doctoral degrees. In the workforce, men have a greater unemployment rate.

While these disparities are alarming, they did not occur over night. Fifty years ago girls were considered grossly behind in school and in the workforce. However, spurred by the gender equality movement, by the 1980s, girls were caught up, and soon they began excelling far beyond boys, in almost every area.

The implications of this growing disparity between men and women are alarming. Experts are beginning to ask questions about men in a changing economy and where these students will be in the next generation.

How can you help your male students succeed? Why do you think females are surpassing men in academics?

Comment below.

 

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