Boys Are In Trouble

Since the 33-year-old Women’s Educational Equity Act’s inception, the U. S. Congress has appropriated around $10 million annually for research, curricula development and teaching strategies to promote “gender equity,” according to information from the U.S. Department of Education. But what about the boys, have they been left behind by our nation’s schools?

“Boys are in trouble,” said Krista Kafer, visiting fellow at the Independent Women’s Forum. “The facts are quite clear; boys trail girls in most indicators of academic excellence such as, school engagement, achievement scores, and graduation rates at secondary and postsecondary levels.” Kafer presented these facts in her latest IWF position paper, Taking the Boy Crisis in Education Seriously: How School Choice Can Boost Achievement Among Boys and Girls.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), conducted by the U.S. Department of Education, shows an overwhelming amount of data that supports Kafer’s theory. Take a look:

* A 2005 NAEP study revealed that a third of 12th grade boys cannot read a newspaper and understand what they are reading.

* The NAEP “Long-Term Trend Test” (started in 1971 and has remained unchanged to better track academic trends over time) showed that at age 17 boys’ reading achievement was fourteen points lower than girls’ and in fact is lower than it was in 1971.

* The same test also shows that scores for the 12th grade reveal that in math, girls have improved while boys have slipped. In reading, girls have improved a little while boys have fallen behind even more.

Other research institutions also report the same conclusions:

* The Manhattan Institute for Policy Research found that girls graduate high school at higher rates than boys, with the disparity highest among minority students. There is an 11% difference between African-American girls and boys.

* Boys account for roughly two-thirds of the students receiving special education services, according to the National Association of Directors of Special Education Incorporated.

“Despite the glaring inequities, the tired myth of the shortchanged girl remains strong enough to seize another $2.9 million from taxpayers last year for an outdated federal program,” said Kafer. “Even more unfortunate is how the myth of inequity is wielded to oppose real reforms that help both boys and girls,”

She also suggests the differences in educational performance may be the result of innate differences that can ultimately be overcome. Scientists have discovered small differences in the way men and women’s brains operate. Men have an advantage in spatial-rotational cognition, explaining why men often do better in math and science. Women have an advantage in verbal ability, which allows more women then men to excel in reading and writing.

“Physiology alone does not explain the disparity in academic achievement… how students are taught and the degree of student engagement matters,” said Kafer. This explains her enthusiastic support for school choice, “No one school can serve every student equally well. School choice allows parents to find the right school for their children, and encourages greater innovation within the educational sector. With school choice, schools must compete to attract students… where competition exists, schools have embraced different curricula and philosophies designed to appeal to the families’ needs and desires.”

It looks as though help is on the way; many states have already taken the initiative to start school-choice programs. According to Heritage Foundation data, in Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota, parents may take a tax credit or deduction for private-school expenses. Arizona, Florida and Utah allow disabled students to attend private schools of their choice. Utah also passed legislation allowing funds (based on income) to be given to any parent who chooses private schools. This just scratches the surface; at least 5 other states and the District of Columbia have some sort of school choice programs available.

Kafer says that despite all the data and research that shows how bad boys are struggling, politicians and special interest groups still seem to pay it no mind. She says there must be public recognition that the boys, not girls, are falling behind. It is not about helping just one gender, but helping every student reach their full potential.

With charter schools, tax incentives, scholarships and giving the parents the right to choose, maybe this will be possible.