Summarizing a meta-analysis published in their Psychological Bulletin, the American Psychological Association states, “Despite the stereotype that boys do better in math and science, girls have made higher grades than boys throughout their school years for nearly a century.”

This study is a meta-analysis of “308 studies, reflecting grades of 538,710 boys and 595,332 girls.” In addition, the conclusion of the researchers is not limited to the United States, as the meta-analysis spans students from over thirty countries. As predicted, the gaps were primarily in language and verbal skills, while the gaps in math and science were smaller.

As the first meta-analysis of its kind, this study gives us a broad “lay of the land” perspective on how males and females are and have been performing. It is also a critical reference.

The researchers state that “One novel aspect of the work presented here lies in the fact that, to our knowledge, no such meta-analysis has been published to date as those that have been published focused on achievement tests.”

Males tend to score better on achievement tests. In lower education, these tests are just a part of their overall grade. Females, by contrast, score better on overall grades. By focusing narrowly on test scores instead of overall subject scores, previous meta-analyses have obscured the fact that females’ overall grades have been better all along.

Grades are more than just a number, of course. They translate into eligibility for scholarships, admission, academic clubs, professional networking opportunities, and so forth. They also translate into lost time, especially if students need to repeat grades or take summer classes.

Boys’ academic underachievement is not a new problem; they have been lagging for decades, including when Title IX was written into law. The only thing that is new is the willingness of a principled few to address the matter.

Remember: whether via taxes or tuition, and whether to academic institutions or the Department of Education, we all pay professionals to monitor and reconcile gaps in academic outcomes between various groups. Given the longstanding disparities in outcomes, there is no justification for the lack of coordinated, widespread action.

There are numerous solutions to boys’ education issues that can be explored. But to be able to execute on them effectively, our education system must at least begin to hire people with the right knowledge and attitudes on these issues.