Gender Equity in Math Achievement

Science magazine's current issue reports on a study which shows that the achievement gap in math between boys and girls has disappeared (article here (subscription required); summary and discussion on NPR). The study was based on the standardized tests administered annually to all public school students in 10 states as part of the No Child Left Behind educational reforms, as well as testing by the National Assessment of Educational Progress. In all, over 7 million scores were included in the study.

This study is heartening: not only to show that the gender gap in math has closed, but to combat gender-based stereotypes that girls have a hard-wired math deficit or that they aren't interested in learning about math.

Gender gaps in math: A new study says it's nurture, not nature

New research published in the journal Science (subscription required to see full article) finds that any gender gap between boys and girls in math achievement "disappears" in countries with higher levels of gender equity. The research, reported in The Guardian (UK), looked at 40 countries, and found that those nations with equal access to education, as well as other opportunities and support for girls, showed no gender gap in math scores. When it comes to reading, girls in "equal opportunity" countries tended to do significantly better than boys. This last finding may beg the question of whether more research is needed to figure out how best to support boys to become equally accomplished readers.