Gender and Educational Achievement

This special issue brings together a diverse group of researchers to examine the state of gender research on educational achievement with a special emphasis on cultural variations. The primary focus is the educational experiences of students at the elementary and secondary levels where gender bias in school experiences can have a lasting effect on women's development. This issue examines how race, socioeconomic status, and other cultural influences combine with gender to shape those experiences.

The articles in this monograph highlight the need for future research in several areas including:

* the role of education in preparing women for their future economic roles,

* the creation of a developmental perspective due to the fact that both sex and ethnic group differences are more pronounced during adolescence than before,

* the influence of peers on students' achievement and motivation.

Given the magnitude of the concerns identified in each of the articles, it is essential that considerable thought be given to the general lack of attention devoted to both gender and ethnic group equity in teacher preparation programs in this country. Gender and ethnic group differences are also shaped by parents, mass media, economic constraints and opportunities, community values and resources, and larger cultural value systems. If there is to be a change in the opportunities and outcomes for the next generation of students, educators and researchers need to adopt a broader cultural perspective. The editors hope the research discussed in this volume will inform and contribute to such efforts.