Exhaustive Reviews of Research on Single-Sex Education

A brief quote from an article of Dr. Cornelius Riordan titled Schools, Single-Sex in the Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology 2015.


Dr. Riordan says that there are three exhaustive reviews of research on single-sex schools so far.

First, the research of Moore, Piper, and Schaefer (1992) for a US Department of Education report. This found evidence that "clearly supported the proposition that single-sex schools may produce positive outcomes, especially for young women."

Second, the study of Mael et al (2005) entitled Single-sex versus coeducational schooling: A systematic review, also for the U.S. Department of Education. This used What Works Clearinghouse standards. The review, according to Riordan, found that "studies preponderantly support the view that single-sex schooling has positive benefits for both sexes, in terms of both academic short term achievement and socioemotional development."

Lastly, Riordan refers to the meta-analysis of Pahlke, Hyde, and Allison (2014) which concluded that “there is little evidence of an advantage of SS schooling for girls or boys for any of the outcomes.”

Riordan says that "It is important to note that the authors employ a 0.2 effect-size threshold in drawing these conclusions about there being no advantage to single-sex schooling. Despite the above conclusion, the research found that, in a separate analysis of just the best studies (well controlled) conducted in America, the effect size in mathematics was 0.14 for both boys and girls. The verbal performance was 0.22 for girls and 0.13 for boys.

These math and verbal outcomes in favor of single-sex schools parallel the findings in Mael et al. (2005). Sound educational research has shown that a standard effect size of 0.10 on gains from sophomore to senior year of high school is equivalent to one full year of learning by the average public school student in the United States (Hoffer, Greeley, and Coleman, 1985). Applying this standard, a difference of 0.10 (or greater) between students in single-sex and in coeducational schools would be substantially important, whether as a gain score or as a cross-sectional effect, assuming that it was statistically significant."

Single-sex education resources: websites and useful links

Materials on the benefits of single-sex education. Numbers one and two were sponsored by the US government.

1)  Riordan, C., Faddis, B., Beam, M, Seager, A., Tanney, A., DiBiase R., Ruffin M., Valentine, J. (2008). Early Implementation of Public Single-Sex Schools: Perceptions and Characteristics. Washington D.C.

Advantages: Decreases distractions in learning, Reduces student behavior problems, Provides more leadership opportunities, Promotes a sense of community among students and staff, Improves student self-esteem, Addresses unique learning styles and interests of boys or girls, Decreases sex bias in teacher-student interactions, Improves student achievement, Decreases the academic problems of low achieving students, Reduces sexual harassment among students, Provides more positive student role models, Allows for more opportunities to provide social and moral guidance, Provides choice in public education

• web: http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/other/single-sex/characteristics/index.html
• pdf document: http//www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/other/single-sex/characteristics/characteristics.pdf

2)  Mael, F., Alonso, A., Gibson, G., Rogers, K., & Smith, M., (2005). Single-sex versus Coeducational Schooling: A Systematic Review. Washington D.C.
The results of the systematic review are mixed, though the findings suggest some support for the premise that single-sex schooling can be helpful.
Riordan's summary: The review “finds positive results are three to four times more likely to be found for single sex schools than for coeducational schools in the same study for both academic achievement and socio-emotional development.”

• http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/other/single-sex/single-sex.pdf

3) Riordan, C. (2009). The Effects of Single Sex Schools: Alced. ArgentinaDiscusses the Systematic Review of Research and states that the effects of Single Sex Schools are greater for at-risk students. Gives theoretical rationales on why SS schools are more effective than Coed schools.

• http://www.alcedargentina.com.ar/images/libroponencias.pdf
  

4) Mullins, A. (2005).  Single-sex schooling: comparing the benefits of single-sex education and coeducation. Mercatornet.

Boys and girls are wired to learn in different ways, Most children learn better in a single-sex environment, Single-sex education meets the needs of boys better, Single-sex education meets the needs of girls better, Single-sex education makes greater provision for gender role modeling, Single-sex schooling allows boys and girls to mature at their own pace, Single-sex schooling does not handicap children socially, Single-sex schooling makes it easier to be a good parent. 

• http://www.mercatornet.com/backgrounders/view/single_sex_schooling

5) NASSPE Website (National Association for Single Sex Public Education)
Evidence regarding the effectiveness of gender-separate classrooms: Major nationwide studies, Before and after studies, Academic Studies.

• http://www.singlesexschools.org/evidence.html

6) Diferenciada.org

• http://www.diferenciada.org/index.php
  

7) Nidoy, R. (2012). Benefits of All-boys and All-girls Schools: Q&A on what the best research says

• http://primacyofreason.blogspot.com/2012/03/benefits-of-all-boys-and-all-girls.html

Benefits of All-boys and All-girls Schools: Q&A on what the best research says

By Dr. Raul Nidoy
Parents for Education Foundation (PAREF)
Association for Single-Sex Education in Asia (ASSEA)

Download the article in brochure form here.


Are there benefits to single-sex schooling?

The best research on this topic was sponsored by the U.S. government in 2005. The research demonstrated “a single-sex school advantage by far” over coed schools.

Do those results refer to academics?

Yes, they found better results in math, science, English, and social studies achievement. But advantages extend to social and emotional development of the children too.

But isn’t this just one study?

The U.S. study is a meta-analysis covering 2221 studies worldwide. Subsequent studies confirm the findings. A 2017 Australian research found that students in these single-sex schools “are significantly more likely to outperform students in coeducational schools in reading and numeracy.” A 2018 study in Los Angeles showed advantages in many aspects of education.

That’s quite impressive. Do they explain why girls’ schools and boys’ schools are better?

There are more than a dozen reasons! For one, teachers observe that there are less distractions. Children are prone to distraction. What more when they are with the other sex who have a different learning style, and who can catch their attention. 

In single-sex schools children compete on fairer grounds. Girls develop faster than boys, and boys can easily get discouraged when faced with such competition. Then boys can pull down the performance of the girls.

But aren’t the kids helped by the presence of the opposite sex to behave better?

Not in the majority of cases. Based on studies, when kids of the same sex are together, they give themselves more mutual support, a sense of community and greater confidence. Thus, they participate more and are more engaged.

Won’t coed schools make children more well-rounded?

The opposite is true. Coed schools tend to perpetuate stereotypes of girls as good in creative arts and boys as strong in math, science and leadership. In single-sex schools, teachers can address the unique needs and interests of the students, making them strong in areas where they are usually weak. This is another explanation why students in single-sex schools perform better in academics.

Let’s not forget too that children don’t want to appear having some of the good habits of the other sex, lest they be teased as being girlish or boyish.

But isn’t it that kids get inspired by the opposite sex to study harder?

Again, you are talking about exceptions. In most cases, based on recent research findings, the effect of the interaction between the two sexes means less homework done, less enjoyment of school, lower reading and math scores.

You mentioned earlier that there are social and emotional advantages.

U.S. government research points to less sexual harassment, less delinquency and other student behavior problems, more community involvement, more positive self-concept among children, more positive student role models, more leadership opportunities, and higher career aspirations. Children in these schools put more value on grades and leadership rather than on attractiveness and money. These schools also allow for more opportunities for social and moral guidance.

I am concerned that my high schooler will not learn how to deal with the opposite sex.

As you might already have observed, the alumni of the top single-sex schools of this country are very capable of dealing with the other sex, and in fact they are known to have an edge on the basis of their culture, manners, and self-confidence. Boys’ schools and girls’ schools have the privileged condition of providing age and gender-appropriate guidance and social skills training to their students.

One of my concerns is that my children go to the best colleges.

Your child will have better chances to achieve that through a single-sex school. There was a randomized experiment done on this in Korea, whose results were published on January 2012. A randomized experiment is the most reliable evidence in all scientific research, since it eliminates bias and pre-selection. The study found that 45% of boys from single-sex schools entered college compared with only 39% of the boys from coed schools. For the girls, it’s 44% of girls from all-girls schools and 40% of girls from coed schools. So the research concluded that “Attending all-boys schools or all-girls schools rather than attending coeducational schools is significantly associated with higher average scores.”

Could it be that single-sex schools are effective because well-to-do students enroll there?

Another surprise: Four studies have actually found that these type of schools “are significantly favorable for students who are historically or traditionally disadvantaged--minorities and/or low and working class and/or at-risk students.”

But if all of this is true, why isn’t single-sex schooling the mainstream way of educating the kids?

The news has not yet spread. That’s the reason behind this Q&A! And for your information, there is a revival of single-sex schools even in the public schools in the U.S. From only 4 single-sex public schools in 1998, there were already 540 such schools by 2010. An expert said that “21st Century education will be single-sex schooling.”

References:

1. Mael, F., Alonso, A., Gibson, G., Rogers, K., & Smith, M., (2005). Single-sex versus Coeducational Schooling: A Systematic Review. Washington D.C. http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/other/single-sex/single-sex.pdf
2. Riordan, C. (2007). The Effects of Single Sex Schools: What Do We Know? Building Gender-Sensitive Schools: First International Congress on Single Sex Education. Barcelona.http://www.easse.org/docs/1209565580_Congreso%204.07.%20Ponencias%20y%20comunicaciones.pdf
3. Riordan, C., Faddis, B., Beam, M, Seager, A., Tanney, A., DiBiase R., Ruffin M., Valentine, J. (2008). Early Implementation of Public Single-Sex Schools: Perceptions and Characteristics. Washington D.C. http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/other/single-sex/characteristics/characteristics.pdf
4. Riordan, C. (2009). The Effects of Single Sex Schools: Alced. Argentina. http://www.alcedargentina.com.ar/images/libroponencias.pdf
5. Park, H. , Behrman, J, Choi,, J .(2012) Causal Effects of Single-Sex Schools on College Entrance Exams and College Attendance: Random Assignment in Seoul High Schools. Philadelphia, PA. University of Pennsylvania, PSC Working Paper Series.
6. Martin, A. J., Marsh, H. W., McInerney, D. M., Green, J. Young People’s Interpersonal Relationships and Academic and Nonacademic Outcomes: Scoping the Relative Salience of Teachers, Parents, Same-Sex Peers, and Opposite Sex Peers. Teachers College Record. March 23, 2009, 1-6. http://www.tcrecord.org/Content.asp?ContentId=15593

Download the article in brochure form here:  https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/64318356/Benefits%20of%20Single%20%20Sex%20Education.doc

These one-page leaflets have started going viral around the world. One leaflet was posted in the website of the Archdiocese of Westminster in London ("The Mother Church of England"), in the Corpus Christi Parish in Canada,  in Kenya and in Macau. To get the full collection, please visit see this: One Page Leaflets for New Evangelization Starting to Go Viral!

You might also be interested in:

Giving Real Love to Your Child: an outline on how parents can educate their children in human sexuality

Strategies for a Great Family

Purity and the Best Remedy for Lust