What you probably already know: Boys have historically outperformed girls in academic STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields, but the gender gap was closing as girls made significant gains in recent decades. The disparity among eighth graders had vanished by 2019, but a new report published by testing company NWEA found that this progress began to reverse during the pandemic. Results from several international assessments show girls’ scores in math and science (in the U.S. and globally) are in steeper decline than boys’ scores.
Why? In the United States, the gap in math and science performance among eighth graders went from nearly nonexistent in 2019 to increasingly trending in boys’ favor starting around 2022. But the overall trend in average scores isn’t reflected among lower-achieving students: The data shows that girls in this category are earning equal — or better — scores than their male counterparts. Enrollment rates in eighth-grade algebra also shifted. Before the pandemic, 26% of girls were enrolled compared to 24% of boys — while enrollment had dropped across both genders by 2022, the decline was steeper among girls. Last year, boys’ enrollment rates reached pre-pandemic levels, but girls still lagged behind.
What it means: The gender gap in eighth-grade STEM achievement widened when students returned to classrooms, but the trend didn’t carry over into reading, where girls have consistently outperformed boys since 2019. Disparities between boys and girls also appear to increasingly widen further up the achievement scale. “These results suggest that the setbacks girls are experiencing in STEM are not part of a broader academic trend,” the study says, “but rather reflect a specific and growing equity concern.”
Pinpointing a cause for the disparity between STEM scores is difficult. Separate research shows girls were more likely to report that their ability to learn was influenced by feeling depressed, stressed, or anxious during the pandemic, but the test results examined in the study suggest the gender gap didn’t start to significantly widen until after 2022, when nearly all classrooms had reopened. Some experts suggest that an uptick in behavioral problems among boys has resulted in boys receiving more attention from teachers than girls.
What happens next: Declining test scores and algebra enrollment rates among eighth-grade girls could lead to troubling future trends in higher education and beyond. Middle schoolers who aren’t engaging in STEM subjects are less likely to pursue STEM careers, exacerbating an already gaping gender gap in the workforce. As the study notes, “To support gender equity in STEM, recovery efforts may need to focus not only on helping girls regain lost ground but also on conditions that are allowing boys to pull ahead.” It concluded that gender data on STEM education needs continuous monitoring. Classroom dynamics, gender stereotypes, and harmful norms should be adjusted, as needed, to ensure all students are given equal opportunities to engage.