June 2012 

O F F I C E F O R C I V I L R I G H T S U . S . D E P A R T M E N T O F E D U C A T I O N 1 

Gender Equity in Education 

A Data Snapshot

This data snapshot highlights several differences in educational

opportunities between males and females from prekindergarten 

through higher education. The information herein, gathered from a 

variety of education data sources, shows that—despite the enormous 

progress made in ensuring equal educational opportunities since the 

passage of Title IX in 1972—much work remains if we are to achieve 

full gender equity among our nation’s students. 

The U.S. Census Bureau’s data on the percentage of young children 

participating in preschool programs offers insights into gender 

differences in access to educational programs in the early 

years. The Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), transformed last 

year, now captures more elementary and secondary data on 

educational access and opportunities for boys and girls than ever 

before. The newly revamped CRDC reveals girls’ advances in 

particular science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) courses, while shedding light on continuing 

disparities in access to important courses like physics and AP math. The new CRDC data also provide a lens on 

school climate and on the bullying and sexual harassment girls and boys too often endure. The National Center 

for Education Statistics (NCES) provides insights into closing of gaps in postsecondary enrollment and degree 

attainment while also highlighting important gaps in STEM fields. And data reported to the Office of Vocational 

and Adult Education at the U.S. Department of Education reveal gender disparities in programs related to 

particular career pathways. 

Demographics 

Prekindergarten 

A snapshot of 2009-10 NCES data shows the 

composition of students enrolled in prekindergarten. 

• Girls represent 46% of the 1.1 million students 

enrolled in prekindergarten. 

• Data from the U.S. Census Bureau also shows 

that, in October 2010, 38% of 3-, 4- or 5-year-old 

males participated in nursery school programs, 

compared to 36% of girls of the same age.

Elementary and Secondary Education 

 Girls represent 49% of students in elementary 

and secondary education. 

Higher Education 

 57% of students in postsecondary education are women. 

Gifted & Talented Education 

Since 1976, girls enrolled in gifted and talented education programs have outnumbered boys enrolled. 

• In 2009, 8.1% of girls participated in gifted and talented education programs, compared to 7.4% of boys.

Source: Common Core of Data, 2009-10; Digest of Education Statistics, Table 198 

Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC)

Explore equity and educational 

opportunities for boys and girls in 

elementary and secondary schools across 

the nation with new data from the 2009 

CRDC.

 To access the new CRDC data for 

schools in the sample, visit: 

http://ocrdata.ed.gov. 

 For the 2011-12 school year, the 

CRDC will be conducted universally 

to include every school in the nation.

*CRDC data in this document, while covering about 85% 

of the nation’s public school students, are not intended to 

be an estimation of national data. 

46% 49% 57%

54% 51% 43%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Prekindergarten Elementary and

Secondary

Education

Postsecondary

Enrollment by Gender: Prekindergarten to 

Postsecondary 

Male

Female
June 2012 

O F F I C E F O R C I V I L R I G H T S U . S . D E P A R T M E N T O F E D U C A T I O N

Gender Equity in Education

Student Retention

Retention by Grade Level 

Girls are less likely than boys to be held back 

one year. Girls represented 39% of students 

retained across all grade levels and only 36% of 

middle school students (grades 6-8) retained in 

2009-10.

Algebra I 

Boys Girls 

Algebra I Enrollment by Grade Level 

Algebra I Pass Rates (Grades 7 or 

8) by Race and Gender 

The data reveal that students who take 

algebra in earlier grades pass the course 

at high rates. 

 The CRDC shows that girls of 

every race/ethnicity are passing 

at a higher rate than their male 

peers. 

High School Science Courses

Enrollment in Science Courses 

by Gender 

Girls are evenly represented in 

biology and outnumber boys in 

chemistry, but are underrepresented 

in physics. 

85% 82% 81% 87% 83% 78% 77% 85%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

All Black Hispanic White

Algebra I Pass Rates: Grades 7 or 8 

Girls

Boys

Algebra I Enrollment by Grade Level 

and Gender 

30% of the girls taking Algebra I did so in 

grades 7 or 8, compared to 27% of boys. 

th

 A greater percentage of the girls in 7 or 

th 8 grade (20%) are taking Algebra I 

compared to boys (18%). 

49% 50% 52% 46%

51% 50% 49% 54%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Enrollment Biology Chemistry Physics

Enrollment in Science Courses 

Boys

Girls

39% 41% 36% 39%

61% 59% 64% 61%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

All Grades Elementary

School

Middle School High School

Retention by Grade Level 

Boys

Girls

Source: Civil Rights Data Collection, 2009-10. 

Source: Civil Rights Data Collection, 2009-10. 

Source: Civil Rights Data Collection, 2009-10. 

Source: Civil Rights Data Collection, 2009-10. 

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June 2012 

O F F I C E F O R C I V I L R I G H T S U . S . D E P A R T M E N T O F E D U C A T I O N

Gender Equityin Education 

High School Math Courses 

Advanced Placement (AP) Access and Success

AP Enrollment by Gender 

Girls outnumber boys in enrollment in AP science, 

AP foreign languages, and several other AP 

subjects. 

 In AP mathematics (calculus and statistics), 

however, boys have consistently outnumbered 

girls by up to 10,000 students. 

55%

30%

60% 60%

32%

64%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

All Black White

AP Test-Passing 

Girls

Boys

Career and Technical 

Education

Despite women’s gains in some 

nontraditional fields as a whole, the rate of 

female enrollment in certain career clusters 

remains at persistently low levels. 

• In 2009-2010, females made up less 

than 25% of participants in science, 

technology, engineering, and math 

programs nationally. (21% at the 

secondary level and 24% at the 

postsecondary level). 

49% 50% 51% 49%

51% 50% 49% 51%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Enrollment Geometry Algebra II Calculus

Enrollment in Mathematics Courses 

Boys

Girls

Enrollment in Math Courses by Gender

Girls are equitably represented in rigorous 

high school math courses. 

Across the CRDC sample: 

• 1.4 million girls are enrolled in geometry. 

• 1.1 million girls are enrolled in Algebra II. 

• 200,000 girls are enrolled in calculus. 

150,000

170,000

190,000

210,000

230,000

2000 2002 2004 2006 2009

AP Mathematics: Trends in Course Taking 

Girls

Boys

*Dotted lines represent the preliminary 2009 national estimates for AP mathematics enrollment. 

Source: Civil Rights Data Collection, 2009-10. 

AP Test-Passing by Gender and Race 

Boys take AP tests and pass AP tests at a higher rate 

than girls. In fact, 73% of boys enrolled in an AP 

course took an AP exam, compared to 70% of girls. 

 60% of boys passed an AP exam, compared to 

55% of girls. 

 Both white and African-American girls are passing 

AP tests at a lower rate than male peers. 

Source: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education, 2009-10 

Source: Civil Rights Data Collection, 2009-10. 

Source: Civil Rights Data Collection, 2009-10. 

23.9% 

27.1% 

60.7% 

81.6% 

77.7% 

21.1% 

40.8% 

53.4% 

73.3% 

76.8% 

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

STEM

Information Technology

Marketing & Sales

Health Science

Education & Training

Secondary and Postsecondary Female Enrollment by 

Career Cluster 

Secondary

Postsecondary

3 
June 2012 

O F F I C E F O R C I V I L R I G H T S U . S . D E P A R T M E N T O F E D U C A T I O N

49%

51%

Females

Males

42%

58%

Girls

Boys

Interscholastic 

Athletics Participants 

School 

Enrollment 

Gender Equityin Education 

Postsecondary Education 

Enrollment 

Data from the Digest of Education Statistics reveal that in1972 females represented 43.1% of fall enrollment in 

degree-granting institutions, compared to 57.0% in 2010. 

Postsecondary Degree Attainment 

In 2009-10, females represented 57.4% of 

students receiving a bachelor’s degree and 

62.6% of students receiving a master’s degree.

Degrees and Certificates in STEM Fields 

Between 2000-01 and 2008-09, the number of 

degrees and certificates awarded in science, 

technology, engineering and mathematics 

(STEM) fields to women at degree-granting 

institutions increased by 5.9 percent. However, 

in 2008-09, 31.0% of the degrees and certificates in STEM fields were earned by women. 

School Climate

Bullying and Harassment 

• Girls represented 55% of the nearly 62,000 students in the sample reported to have been bullied or 

harassed on the basis of sex. 

• Boys represented 79.6% of the 92,000 students in the sample disciplined for bullying or harassment on the 

basis of sex. 

High School Sports

• Across the CRDC sample, girls represented 42% of the 

interscholastic athletics participants and 49% of enrollment in 

schools. 

o 35% of the schools offering interscholastic athletics 

reported a gap of 10 percentage points or more 

between the percentage of girls enrolled and the 

percentage of athletes who are girls. 

o 7% of the schools offering interscholastic athletics 

reported a gap of 20 percentage points or more. 

• Of the over 10,000 schools in the CRDC sample that offer 

single-sex interscholastic athletics, 57% offered fewer athletic teams for girls than boys. 

D A T A N O T E S A B O U T T H E C R D C A N A L Y S I S P R E S E N T E D A R E A V A I L A B L E A T 

W W W . E D . G O V / O C R / D O C S / G E N D E R - E Q U I T Y - I N - E D U C A T I O N - D A T A N O T E S . P D F . 

P L E A S E C O N T A C T O C R D A T A @ E D . G O V T O R E Q U E S T T H E F U L L C R D C D A T A S E T . 

12%

6%

3% 1%

20%

11% 9%

4% 7%

3%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

Males Females

Out-of-school Suspensions by Race and Gender 

American Ind.

Asian/Pacific Isl.

Black

Hispanic

White

Discipline Rates by Race and Gender 

• Girls of all races are suspended out-of-school 

at lower rates than boys of the same race. 

• However, African-American girls are 

suspended at higher rates than Latino, 

Asian/Pacific Islander and white boys. 

Source: Condition of Education, Table A-47-2 

Source: Civil Rights Data Collection, 2009-10 

Source: Civil Rights Data Collection, 2009-10 

62.0% 57.4% 62.6% 

53.3% 

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

Associate's Bachelor's Master's Doctorate

Percent of Degrees Conferred to Females 

2009-10

4