Education Week – Sarah D. Sparks
“The gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics may be starting to turn, according to new 2009 data from the National Center for Education Statistics. The data is coming at a time when states and districts are in a big push to get more students—and particularly girls—into STEM careers, via everything from mentorships and clubs to STEM-only schools. By 12th grade, girls in 2009 were more likely than boys to have earned credit in advanced math and science, including Algebra II, chemistry, biology, and health sciences, though boys are significantly more likely to earn credit in computer science and engineering. Why then, does the data also show that girls continued to underperform in small but persistent ways across several STEM-related parts of the National Assessment of Educational Progress?.”(more)