In recent years, there has been resurgence in interest in single gender school statistics.
Single gender or commonly called same sex schools have been common in private education for a long time; however, after practically disappearing during the mid-20th century, these types of schools are gradually beginning to reestablish themselves in public education as well.
The renewed interest in single gender schools statistics is a product of increased academic research into their possible benefits. The 1996 Supreme Court case United States v. Virginia ruled on the constitutionality of single gender schools. This case both made room for same gender schools while at the same time establishing strict constitutional limitations. In 2006, the Department of Education provided a series of guidelines which opened the way for their reintroduction into the public schools.
The Department of Education acknowledges that there are potential benefits to same sex schools. However, they insist that these programs must be voluntary and that equal opportunities and facilities must be provided to schools of both genders.
During the last decade, the number of single gender schools has grown substantially. According to the National Association for Single Sex Public Education (NASSPE), there were only 4 such programs in 1998. For the 2011–2012 school year, at least 506 public schools in the United States are offering single gender programs. About 309 of these programs are in coed schools which offer single gender programs. All considered, around 116 public schools in the United States today are exclusively single gender.
So what are some single gender schools statistics?
Supporters of these schools claim that the reasoning behind the original decline in single gender schools was due to budgetary concerns along with concerns related to gender equality. They claim that modern research has validated the benefits of single gender schools.
For example, supporters claim that boys and girls have fundamental gender differences. These include biological differences that lead to differences in learning styles. Most single gender schools supporters are careful when talking about these differences, however. They emphasize that not all boys like sports and not all-girls want to play with Barbies.
According to supporters, these schools help break down gender stereotypes. They argue that creating single gender schools removes many of these biases. As an example, girls that attend all-girls schools have higher rates of participation in computer science courses than girls who attend coed schools.
Supporters of same sex schools, including those at the NASSPE, emphasize the importance of not just diving headlong into creating single gender schools. They believe that there are important policies which need to be implemented and the staff needs to be properly trained.
In 2005, the Department of Education conducted a thorough review of some 2221 studies on the topic of single gender schooling and found mixed results. While they found that same sex schools could be helpful in improving certain education outcomes, they also found many outcomes where there was neither benefit nor harm.
There is some opposition to same sex schools.
In September of 2011, Science published an article in which they argued that supporters of same gender schools hand pick studies to support their cause. After reviewing various studies on the merits of single gender schools, they argue that such schools actually reinforce gender stereotyping and even legitimize institutional sexism.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a vocal opponent of same sex schools, claiming that it violates civil liberties. They often point to the legacy of segregation to make this point. The NASSPE claims that the ACLU has gone so far as to harass administrators, teachers, and even parents who are associated with single gender schools.
All in all, there is increased experimentation with single gender schools. As more and more single gender programs are implemented, more single gender school statistics are released, and their results analyzed, supporters and opponents will continue to debate the merits of this approach to educational reform.
A few more articles – Boys and Reading and Equity Issues in Education
