Education: Gender Differences

Overview

Test performance is an important component of the education process because it often serves as an indication of scholastic and intellectual capabilities. In addition, strong performance on high-stakes tests may affect college and career prospects. Given that test performance is heavily weighted as a predictor of academic value and future success, parity between the test scores of boys and girls is important. Nevertheless, research indicates that gender disparities in test achievement put girls at a disadvantage.

One of the most troubling trends is that girls' scores on standardized tests in math and science seem to confirm the stereotype that these fields are reserved for boys. For example, Gender Gaps maintains that boys consistently outperformed girls on the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) exam in the areas of math and science in the 4th, 8th, and 12th grades. These findings also suggest that the gender gap in math and science achievement scores increases with age. Further research has alleged that the achievement gap in math and science scores at the high school has been shrinking over time, but that the disparity is far from being eradicated.

Some studies have demonstrated that the type of test administered may influence the gender gap in test performance. More specifically, the way that the test format presents the material may influence gendered patterns in achievement. Boys are expected to do better on standardized tests in general, especially those that include multiple-choice items. Conversely, girls are expected to outperform boys on curriculum-based tests and tests that include essays. Boys' higher scores on standardized math tests may be more a function of testing format than a result of outstanding math skills relative to girls.

The test performance gap is especially pronounced in SAT scores. Boys tend to outperform girls on both the verbal and math portions of this exam. The gap in achievement becomes particularly consequential when SAT scores become a basis for allocating “merit-based” rewards. For example, girls, who have lower combined scores on average, may be less likely to qualify for scholarship money or admission into more exclusive colleges. The conflation of SAT scores with overall student potential is risky, especially given that performance on the SAT does not accurately predict women's performance in college.

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