PERSPECTIVE
... A complex array of gender equity concerns has led some educators to consider single-sex public education as one way to address the disparate experiences and outcomes of girls and boys. Urban educators in particular began exploring single-sex education for boys left behind.
The majority of these boys are African-American and Hispanic, a compelling rationale for innovation given the preponderance of literature that these boys are in academic and socio-economic crisis.
The 2006 Delaware State Testing Program 10th-grade reading proficiency scores are 47 percent for black boys, 52 percent for Hispanic boys, and 85 percent for white boys -- a gap of almost 40 percent.
Black girls score at 69 percent, Hispanic girls at 52 percent, and white girls at 91 percent.
The 10th-grade writing proficiency scores put black boys at 52 percent, Hispanic boys at 60 percent, and white boys at 81 percent.
Black girls score at 73 percent, Hispanic girls at 61 percent, and white girls at 91 percent proficiency in writing.
The 10th-grade math proficiency scores put black boys at 28 percent, Hispanic boys at 48 percent, and white boys at 80 percent -- a gap of more than 50 percent.
Black girls score at 50 percent, Hispanic girls at 42 percent, and white girls at 78 percent in math.
Several studies found that students in single-sex schools devoted more time to homework, had higher aspirations for academic and educational achievement, and wanted to be remembered for their scholastic abilities rather than leadership in activities or popularity.
