Why a Girls’ School?

Proven Models

The Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders is based on proven successful models for educating young women. There are currently public girls schools in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and Dallas public school districts. The first school to serve as a model school is in East Harlem. Following the success of the East Harlem school, the New York Public School System has opened a second school in the Bronx, a third school in Queens and a fourth school in Astoria. While the Chicago school is a district charter, the others serve as stand-alone magnet or choice schools in their school districts.

Current studies support these positive effects of single-sex classes on girls:

• Establish comfortable places in which girls can learn and explore the world.
• Provide an opportunity for girls to consider issues of gender identity and the variety of roles girls and women can consider in today's and tomorrow's society
• May be particularly helpful to girls at the developmental level of early adolescence

Research-Based

The need for single sex education is based on the results of research in a number of areas.

1. Historically or traditionally disadvantaged groups gain the greatest benefit from girls' schools. Most of the research on the effects of single-gender schools focuses on gender variables and finds that girls, in general, gain the greatest benefit from this educational alternative. Some studies find that the benefits gained from school-type choice (especially single-gender) are greatest for those who have been historically or traditionally disadvantaged. School size and focus are shown to have the greatest impact on low-income students.
2. Expanded educational opportunity
3. There is strong evidence that the single greatest benefit of girls-only education is the expanded educational opportunity girls enjoy in the all-girls classroom. At every age, girls in girls-only classroom are more likely to explore "non-traditional" subjects such as computer science, math, physics, woodworking, etc. This finding is extraordinarily robust, having been replicated in every age group from kindergarten through college, and in every country where researchers have examined this question, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Jamaica, Iceland, and Kenya.
4. Course taking, persistence, and the need to start in middle school.

A literature review of single-gender schools reveals several perceived benefits. One of the most evident and repeated benefits is a decline in sexually-stereotyped course taking and greater persistence in those courses often considered "not for girls." It is widely recognized that students who take rigorous courses throughout their secondary education are more likely to transition into and complete four-year college programs. Additionally, the age at which students begin college preparatory work impacts whether or not they continue to enroll in the most challenging courses.

Recent studies have indicated that retention of female students is greatly affected by social/developmental factors- specifically connections to peer group and role models. Quantitative data shows that young women score equal to or exceed their male counterparts on many standardized measures, but their patterns in selecting courses (which for girls are greatly affected by emotional or attitudinal variables) mean that too many capable girls are making academic choices in middle school that will affect their potential to take the most rigorous work in high school and college. Girls in single sex educational environments are more likely to have higher career aspirations than other girls.

Results

At the start of the 2005-2006 school year there were more than 185 public schools in the U.S. that offered some form of single-gender education (usually in the form of separate classes). In their short history, public girls' schools have produced impressive results. Below are some of the early results reported by the schools in New York, Chicago and Dallas.

Young Women's Leadership School (East Harlem)

• 100% of Class of 2005 accepted into college.
• Attendance rate (2003-2004): 92.6%.
• Student dropout rate (2003-2004): 0%.
• 90% of teachers have a master's degree.
• Named "National Breakthrough High School" by National Association of Secondary Principals.
• Ranked as #1 school in New York City for bringing struggling eighth graders to graduation on time.
• In 2005, 100% passed Regents' Exam in Math, English, and Spanish; more than 95% passed in U.S. History, Global and Earth Science. (New York City passing rate was 42%.)

The Young Women's Leadership Charter School of Chicago

• 97% of graduates enrolled in college in 2004.
• 100% of graduates enrolled in college in 2005.

Irma Rangel Young Women's Leadership School

• Opened August 2004.
• Recipient of Dallas Observer's "Best Use of a Bond Issue" award.
• Received the "Leadership of Tomorrow" Award from Lockheed Martin - student invention was chosen as the design that showed the most ingenuity, inventiveness, and feasibility.
• Highest performing middle school in Dallas School District for 2005 TAKS.

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