Gender Differences in Educational Achievement in a New Zealand Birth Cohort

Gender differences in educational outcomes were examined in a birth cohort of over 1,000 Christchurch born children studied from the point of school entry to the age of 18. This analysis suggested three major conclusions: i) Throughout the school career of this cohort males achieved less well than females. Gender differences were evident in the results of standardised testing, teacher ratings of school performance and in the school leaving outcomes of the cohort. At no point of the school career of this cohort was there evidence to suggest that females performed less well than males. ii) Gender differences in educational achievement could not be explained by gender differences in intelligence since boys and girls had very similar IQ test scores. iii) However, the higher rate of educational under-achievement in males was adequately explained by gender related differences in classroom behaviours with males being more prone to disruptive and inattentive classroom behaviours that appeared to impede male learning and lead to a male educational disadvantage. It is concluded that the traditional educational disadvantage shown by females has largely disappeared and has been replaced by an emerging male disadvantage. The implications of these findings for contemporary educational policies are discussed.