Last updated December 17, 2005
Over the last few years, there have been countless news articles on the growing gender gap for students in preparing for college. Boys are falling further and further behind. But the problem by and large is not receiving adequate attention or even being recognized as a problem within the K-12 educational system.
In the Crosstalk Article "Where the Boys Aren’t" the author, Robert Jones, discusses the data and work by Tom Mortenson - editor and publisher of Postsecondary Education Opportunity.
http://www.highereducation.org/crosstalk/ct0205/news0205-boys.shtml
Boys of all races/ethnic backgrounds have been on a steady downward spiral when it comes to success at college. The data is especially disturbing for minorities. In 2002, only 33% of the bachelors degrees awarded to black students were to male students.
UW's Gear Up program aims to put boys on path to college.
http://gearup.washington.edu/article/14.html
Finally a national public university is starting to take on this problem. In the summer of 2005, the University of Washington’s Gear Up program had a special program for boys only.
"This is a serious dilemma with regard to boys, especially boys of color, who are absolutely not thriving and are just falling through the cracks," said Thomas Calhoun Jr., executive director of the Gear Up program at the UW, which is running the academy.
"For decades, women have been going to college in greater numbers than men, and that gap continues to widen."
In the October 3rd, 2005 Seattle Times article "Campus gender gap: Progress or problem?" the author describes the situation at Washington State University’s Veterinarian College where female students outnumber male students 3 to 1.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/education/2002534398_gender02m.html
"The U.S. Department of Education estimates that, by 2014, women will earn 60 percent of all bachelor's degrees and will earn a majority of professional and doctoral degrees. Yet U.S. Census figures show 51 percent of adults under 35 are men."
From looking at recent data in the Everett School District, one can see that the next generation of college going students in our community will be even more one sided.
2002 Everett School District Dropouts
Male: 114
Female: 64
2005 Everett School District AP Exam Takers
AP Calculus
Male 11
Female 16
AP English Language and Composition
Male 17
Female 38
AP English Literature and Composition
Male 22
Female 45
Even the local PTA has some culpability in not addressing this problem. In the spring of 2005, the Henry M. Jackson HS PTSA awarded 6 scholarships. All 6 went to girls.
In a 2003 Business Week article,
http://www.businessweek.com/@@e0s@vYUQ3VY66hoA/magazine/content/03_21/b3834010_mz001.htm
Tom Mortenson remarked, "My belief is that until women decide that the education of boys is a serious issue, nothing is going to happen."
He believes some women feel threatened by even admitting the problem because "it will take away from the progress of women...What everyone needs to realize is that if boys continue to slide, women will lose too."