Single Gender Classes

1
Single Gender Classes

• A Proposed Pilot for CFBISD Middle Schools

2
What is the proposed pilot for single gender
classrooms?

• Students in the pilot would be in a core class
  with students of their gender.

3
What does the research say?

• There is a lack of what researchers call quality
  studies (randomized experiments or correlational
  studies with adequate statistical controls)
• There are some studies that indicate a positive
  benefit and some that indicate no benefit

4
Research Benefits

• Cambridge University (2005) found the following
  regarding singe-sex education
• Effective in boosting boys performance in
  English and foreign language
• Effective in boosting girls performance in math
  and science

5
Research Benefits

• The Australian Council for Educational Research
  (2001) compared performance of students at
  single-sex and coeducational schools and found
  the following
• Both boys and girls who were educated in
  single-sex classrooms scored on average of 15 to
  22 percentile ranks higher than they did in
  coeducational settings
• Both boys and girls were more likely to be better
  behaved and to find learning more enjoyable

6
Research Benefits

• University of Michigan (1986) compared graduates
  of Catholic single-sex high schools with
  graduates of Catholic coeducational private
  schools and found the following

• Boys in single-sex schools scored better in
  reading, writing, and math than boys in coed
  schools
• Girls at single-sex schools scored better in
  science and reading than girls in coed schools

7
Research Lack of Benefits/ Concerns

• Newport Middle School in Newport, Ky., and Eagle
  Rock Junior High in Idaho abandoned single-sex
  classrooms after just one year due to the
  following

• No significant improvement in grades or test
  scores
• Discipline referrals for the boys increased

8
Research Mixed Evidence

• The United States Department of Education (2005)
  studies on single-sex education and found the
  following
• Most studies reported positive effects on
  all-subject achievement tests
• No differences were found for postsecondary test
  scores, college graduation rates, or graduate
  school attendance rates
• Regarding socio-emotional studies indicated
  either a positive effect for same-sex
• Both boys and girls were involved in more
  leadership opportunities

9

• Individual School Information
• Add your school information on this slide.