Public discussion: The crisis facing men and boys

If you’ve got boys or care about how boys (and men) are faring in the United States in terms of significant life milestones and outcomes , consider heading to the Seattle Central Library in downtown Seattle this evening.

The newly created American Institute of Boys and Men will host its first formal event in the city starting at 5 p.m. as institute founder and author Richard Reeves and researchers from the University of Washington’s Center for Education Research discuss how boys are doing in today’s education system.

A loot at new UW data analysis

During the event, UW researchers Dan Goldhaber and Stephanie Liddle will spotlight their new analysis on K-12 education gender gaps in Washington State. The researchers will join Reeves and UW Tacoma Chancellor Sheila Edwards Lange to discuss the data and consider ways Washington can lead the national response to what Reeves and others call the crisis facing boys and men in this country. 

Reeves is a former Brookings Institute scholar and author of the acclaimed book “Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It.”

Boys losing ground

What does the gender gap look like? According to the new UW data analysis:

• 58% of Washington students who graduate with a grade point average of 3.0 or above are girls, while 58% of those who leave school with a GPA below 3.0 are boys. 
• Given a girl and boy with equivalent test scores in 3rd grade, on average, the girl goes on to have a higher high school GPA.  
• Girls are 6.5 percent more likely than boys to take advanced coursework in English in high school (12.5% compared to 19.1%). This statistic is true regardless of students’ third-grade test scores. A girl with low scores in 3rd-grade English is more likely to take advanced English coursework in high school than a boy with equivalent 3rd-grade English scores.
• Gaps between girls and boys in reading test scores are significant — widening throughout middle school and narrowing some in high school.
• There are also meaningful differences in the probability of graduating on time between boys and girls.
• Gender gaps are primarily consistent across races. The most significant gap by gender in GPA and on-time graduation is among Black students, the smallest among Asian students. 
• Of note, male and female Black students are more likely to take advanced English courses than any other racial group except Asian. 

To join tonight’s event at Seattle Central Library, RSVP is requested. The event will take place at Seattle Central Library, Floor 4, Room 1. The library is located at 1000 4th Ave.

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