Girls Still Lagging In STEM Education

By Dr. Marciene Mattleman

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Although more high school girls are taking STEM classes - science, technology, engineering and math - their test results still lag behind those of boys on the National Assessment of Education Progress, NAEP, according to new analysis.

While girls were more likely to have earned credit in advanced math and science including algebra 2, chemistry, biology, and health sciences, boys were significantly more likely to earn credits in computer science and engineering.

Girls have increased participation slowly in higher math and science since 2000, yet they continue to underperform across several STEM-related parts of the test.

It's likely that boys took more engineering than females; however girls who did take those courses matched or outperformed their male classmates in math and science.

An article in Education Week suggests differences could reflect girls' lower interest in STEM and reports that male students in main racial groups say they "like" science and math more than girls.