Increasing Number of Math Teachers, Administrators
Could Reduce Math Score Gap Between Girls, Boys
Date: September 4, 2001
Contact: Karla Stone, (979) 862-8845
http://bush.tamu.edu/kmeier/teep/
COLLEGE STATION – Nationwide, girls’ math scores consistently fall short of boys’ scores, but a study by the George Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University finds that an increase in the number of female math teachers could not only reduce the math score gap between girls and boys but also increase college success in fields that emphasize math and mathematical reasoning.
Even though females outnumber males at the teacher level, the study found that increasing the number of female math teachers could reduce the math score gap by one third. In addition, the study also emphasized the under-representation of females at the superintendent level.
Texas school districts employ 75 percent females in instructor roles; however at the administrator level that number falls to 27 percent and even lower to 8.4 percent at the superintendent level, says Kenneth J. Meier, director of the Center for Presidential Studies, Policy & Governance at the Bush School and coordinator of the Texas Educational Excellence Project (TEEP).
Researchers with TEEP advocate that districts seeking to increase girls’ math scores – and educational benefit all together – should monitor the female representation at upper levels of the organization, he notes.
“Findings indicate that girls not only increase their scores in math exit exams under female teachers and superintendents, but girls’ college goals and life aspirations are heavily influenced by female teachers as well,” Meier says.
TEEP researchers measured the level of college success and college aspirations by two key predictors, SAT scores and the number of girls enrolled in advanced placement classes.
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Girls Math Scores – Page 2
“Girls SAT scores were consistently higher in districts with more female teachers; and in districts with female superintendents the impact was even greater,” Meier says.
Jill Nicholson, researcher with TEEP, said female instructors working cooperatively with female superintendents also positively influenced the number of girls in advanced placement classes, the second indicator of college aspirations.
TEEP researchers believe their finding from Texas could apply to other educational systems as well because Texas is an extremely diverse state in terms of race, ethnicity and resources. In addition, Texas contains more than 8 percent of all school districts in the United States.
The Texas Educational Excellence Project seeks to apply scholarly research to educational policy issues in order to make recommendations for greater quality and equity in Texas school systems. TEEP is a joint program in the George Bush School of Government and Public Service and the Texas A&M University’s Department of Political Science, with research associates at the University of Texas – Pan American and Oakland University. More information on the project and its research can be found at http://teep.tamu.edu.
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