Special Resource Material Developed by the Center
Title: Single-Sex Education: Pros and Consr (Information Resource)
Description: The U.S. Department of Education defines single-sex education as “education at the elementary, secondary, or postsecondary level in which males or females attend school exclusively with members of their own sex” (U.S. Department of Education, 2005). Reports indicate that in 2011-2012 more than 500 public schools across the country offered single-sex options in some form.
Note: Sex describes the biological structures of individuals. Gender describes social identity.
While there are a variety of rationales for single-sex education, the reasons usually emphasized are to address (a) male-female differences in development and performance and (b) the achievement gap favoring boys and discriminating against specific racial minorities growing up in poverty. Additional rationales include notions such as that boys will focus better on school tasks if not distracted by girls and that all girl classes will counter gender-bias toward girls as well as eliminating the distraction of boys. Access at: http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/singleduc.pdf 5pp; 30kb
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