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When it comes to learning about math and science in UC Riverside's GEMS program, adolescent girls write about the subjects, talk about how they can use math in everyday life and even learn how makeup is a textbook example of an optical illusion. Orienting material toward the unique interests and aptitudes of boys or girls is the beauty of a single- sex classroom, says Dr. Pam Clute, executive director of UC Riverside's Alpha Center, which runs GEMS programs around Riverside and San Bernardino counties. "You find ways to engage their enthusiasm with the subjects they do love," she says. "All students get a successful experience and it eliminates a lot of the distractions. (At GEMS), if you have a bad hair day, there aren't any boys to impress and the other girls don't give a flip anyway." Single-sex enrichment programs, such as GEMS (Girls Excelling in Mathematics with Success), and girls- and boys-only schools have long proven popular with families. Now, public schools around the country are poised to enjoy the same freedom to separate the sexes. Until now, single-sex education has largely stalled in the public school arena due to discrimination concerns and related regulations preventing it. However, the No Child Left Behind Act contains a little-known provision that directs the federal Education Department to rewrite the regulations governing single-gender campuses and counsel districts on how to avoid running afoul of segregation laws. Single-sex schools and programs can compete for millions of dollars in federal funding for so-called "innovative programs." Debate with multiple voices For many, single-sex education is an emotional topic, sparking discussions around "separate but equal" programs, Title IX (the federal law that prohibits discrimination based on sex), women's rights and the need for women to function in mixed sex settings in the workplace, which of course is the real world. Like many education reform efforts, single sex has dedicated advocates and fierce skeptics with strong opinions on each side of the issue. Several groups, including the National Organization for Women, the American Civil Liberties Union and the National PTA were opposed to the change in federal regulations. Likewise, researchers have studied the model closely for decades, hoping to subjectively measure whether societal pressures negatively impact children's learning in mixed classrooms. The result is a mix of reports finding evidence for and against the benefits of segregated classrooms. Even California launched an experiment under Gov. Pete Wilson in 1997 to see if single-sex programs could boost student achievement. A study on the program showed few benefits but also noted large implementation challenges specific to California's pilot project, such as underfunding. This year, seven new single-sex public schools will open around the country, though none in the Inland Empire, bringing the total number of schools offering single-sex classrooms or entire programs to more than 55, according to the National Association for Single Sex Public Education (NASSPE). That's compared with just four public single-sex programs a decade ago. But even now these schools are taking a leap of faith since the Education Department has not yet completed the revised regulations. Department spokeswoman Susan Aspey says work continues on revisions to give schools additional guidance on starting single-sex programs. She points out that the topic is sensitive and complicated. Dr. Leonard Sax, executive director of the association, notes the changes are months past the deadline in the No Child Left Behind law. "When you look at the history of single sex education in this country, it's a pretty sad story of the boys getting everything and the girls getting nothing," he says, adding that's why he understands the department sought public comment on the topic and has tread slowly on revisions. However, he says it is more than a year-and-a-half since No Child Left Behind was signed into law and single-sex schools still haven't received attention. "It's simply not a priority in the department. Right now it's technically still illegal to have single sex education in public schools. We're really in a state of legal limbo and very few school administrators are willing to proceed because they don't have the new regulations. " Those who have taken the single-sex step share Sax's belief that there is a place for the segregated approach to education in public schools. The site, www.singlesexschools.org, is full of reports and studies documenting the success of single-sex education. The group also held a forum on the topic at the National Press Club in late August. "The states are all facing budget deficits, but the new (education) law requires them to do more with less," he says. "How do you improve academic performance with less? Put all the girls in one classroom and all the boys in one classroom." Worth considering Dr. Ellen Greenburger, a UC Irvine developmental psychology professor with an emphasis on adolescent development, also suggests that schools take a closer look at single-sex classrooms. She says students, especially between the ages of 11 and 14, can benefit from isolated environments. "It seems that girls may feel a need to suppress their smarts in the interests of adapting to the cultural stereotype that promotes the notion that girls are sweet and kind and so on," she says, discussing the variety of research on the topic. "This is all part of the relations between the sexes. Being in a single-sex classroom or school may liberate girls from the perceived need to pipe down and let the boys show their stuff." She adds that there also is some research suggesting early adolescent boys also prefer their own classes because they can concentrate better. Although research supports the concept, she says that there could be practical roadblocks to implementation. For instance, creating single-sex classrooms in a mixed-sex public school could lead to stigmas or derision of those who select the segregated environments. However, she believes single-sex education should be considered, and can have an impact on student psychology. "I think it would be a very useful topic for (schools) to explore in the whole range of priorities," she says. "But I can't tell you where I would put this on the agenda." Inland Empire view Based on her experiences with GEMS, Clute isn't convinced that public schools are the place for single-sex programs. When she first opened an all-girls enrichment program, ATHENA, she says she received pressure to replicate the effort for boys. That program, Apollo, never caught on and eventually ended because she couldn't compete with summer sports camps and other activities that boys preferred. However, she continues to have a long waiting list for GEMS. So, while this model works as an additional educational opportunity, trying to fit it into the structure of the public school may not be wise. "When you blend girls with guys you have a different set of strategies and issues," she says. "It would create such confusion." Jennifer Leuer of Yorba Linda is an education reporter. To reach her: leuer.ramus@sbcglobal.net. |
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