Closing the Reading Gap: Case Studies of Reading Performance of Male Students and the Single-sex Classroom

Data from standardized test scores shows boys are falling further behind in literacy each year. Thanks to countless hours of research, we can pinpoint some of the causes for this decline. The major challenge educators face is how to keep boys interested in reading while placed in classrooms not necessarily designed to meet their needs. One option being explored is the use of single-sex classrooms. For over 160 years in the United States, public school single-sex classrooms have existed. The thought is that by separating boys and girls for academic classes, certain distractions will be eliminated, the environment can be adapted to accommodate the needs of boys, and teachers can teach in a style more appropriate to the gender. This study investigated how successful single-sex classrooms are in promoting student achievement. By taking data from multiple sources, the study looked at any differences that occurred within schools containing academic, single-sex classrooms, and coeducational ones. Further, the study investigated whether differences occurred between gender groups within these schools.