Findings from the American Association of University Women’s Gender Gaps: Where Schools Still Fail Our Children

High school girls and boys take similar numbers of science courses, but boys are more likely than girls to take all three core science courses – biology, chemistry and physics – before they graduate.

Girls take fewer computer science and computer design courses; boys take fewer English courses.

Girls are enrolling in Advanced Placement classes in larger numbers, but fewer girls than boys receive the high scores on AP tests needed for college credit.

Girls cluster in traditionally female occupations in school-to-work and vocational education programs.

Boys repeat grades and drop out of school at a higher rate, but girls who are held back are more likely to drop out.

One in four girls show signs of depression.

One in five girls say they have been abused sexually or physically.

Four out of five 8th to 11th grade girls said they had experienced sexual harassment

Thirty percent of Hispanic females ages 16-24 dropped out of school and had not passed a high school equivalence test.

Source: American Association of University Women (www.aauw.org)