PRESS RELEASE

Research shows: girls' school graduates have an edge

For the first time, educators have solid evidence of girls' schools' effectiveness. This week, UCLA's Graduate School of Education & Information Studies released the results of a well-documented, national study which shows the statistically significant edge girls' school graduates have over their coed peers. This peer-reviewed research disentangles the effects of single-sex education from confounding demographic influences. At a time when education is on the national agenda, UCLA's study will make a significant contribution to the discussion.

The findings, analyzed by UCLA's Dr. Linda J. Sax and her colleagues, draws on the large database housed at UCLA's Higher Education Research Institute. Descriptive comparisons as well as statistical analyses compares the achievements, aspirations, and behaviors of 6,552 graduates of 225 independent girls' schools, and 14,684 of their peers from 1,169 coeducational high schools (public, independent, and parochial).

According to the UCLA report, which was commissioned by the National Coalition of Girls' Schools, girls' school graduates consistently assess their abilities, self-confidence, engagement and ambition as either above average or in the top 10 percent. Compared to their coed peers, they have more confidence in their mathematics and computer abilities and study longer hours. They are more likely to pursue careers in engineering, engage in political discussions, keep current with political affairs, and see college as a stepping stone to graduate school.

The new data from UCLA's nationwide study of women entering their first year of college reveals girls' school alumnae assess themselves stronger across the academic disciplines. Statistically significant are the following findings:

Ten percent more girls' school graduates rate their confidence in math and computer abilities high at the start of college compared to their peers from coed schools. That is, 47.7 percent of women entering college from single-sex schools feel well-prepared in math, as compared to 36.6 percent from coed schools. A similar gap turned up when comparing computer skills: 35.8 percent of girls' school graduates report self-confidence versus 25.9 percent of their coed peers.

Girls' school graduates are three times more likely than their coed peers to consider pursuing a career in engineering; or 4.4 percent compared to 1.4 percent.

More than 80 percent of girls' school graduates consider their academic performance highly successful compared to 75 percent of women from coed schools. On the intellectual front, 60 percent of women from girls' schools report self-confidence, compared to 54 percent from coed schools.

Nearly half of all women graduating from single-sex schools (or 44.6 percent) rate their public speaking ability high, compared to 38.5 percent of women graduates of coed schools. A similar differential exists for writing abilities: 64.2 percent girls' school graduates assess their writing as high, compared to 58.8 percent women graduates of coed schools.

Women graduates of single-sex independent schools spend more time studying or doing homework, talking with teachers outside of class, tutoring peers, and studying with others. Indeed, 53 percent of independent girls' school graduates study with other students, compared with 45 percent of their coed peers, and 63 percent spend 11 plus hours a week studying or doing homework compared with 42 percent of the coeds. And 37 percent of girls' school alumnae spend 3 or more hours a week talking with teachers, compared to 30 percent among women from coed schools.

More girls' school graduates consider college a stepping stone to graduate school (71 percent versus 66 percent from coed schools) and 45 percent of women from single-sex schools (compared to 41 percent of their coed peers) choose a college in part for its record of alumnae gaining admission to graduate school.

Political engagement thrives in single-sex schools: 57.9 percent of girls' school graduates compared to 47.7 percent of their coed peers report they are more likely to keep current with the political scene and have political discussions in class.

As the UCLA study points out, girls' schools graduates rate themselves more successful and engaged in precisely those areas in which male students have historically surpassed them - mathematics, computers, engineering, and politics. The findings may undermine opponents of girls' schools, who argue that single-sex education accentuates sex-based stereotypes and widens the gender gap.

Since the early 1990s, NCGS, a national girls' school advocacy group, has worked to document the value of girls' schools. Since the shift in title IX in 2006, 94 new single sex schools have been formed in the US. Two-thirds of them are girls' schools. "Single-gender education represents a valuable opportunity. It has well-documented results in terms of benefits and successful outcomes independent of high school variables. Our nation's girls are a national resource and they deserve the best we can offer them." said Meg Milne Moulton, Executive Director of NCGS.

Supporting Documentation

The following supporting documents are available to all for downloading:

• UCLA Full Report [1.82MB]
• UCLA executive summary [345KB]
• NCGS essential information [5.55MB]
• Research Publication Order Form [21KB]

UCLA Higher Education Research Institute Presentation Video

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