Chapter 14: Gender and High Achievers in Mathematics: Who and What Counts?

Documentation in the early 1970s of often subtle, yet consistent gender differences in mathematics performance and participation in optional, often advanced, mathematics courses in favor of males served as an effective catalyst for action in many countries. “There is,” wrote Lubienski (2008, p. 351), “a history of government education policies and intervention arising in response to data on achievement disparities.” Collectively, the initiatives introduced have certainly been effective. Females’ participation rates in mathematics and other related fields and careers long considered to be male domains have gradually improved.

Over time, a number of robust research findings have emerged. There is considerable overlap in the performance of females and males. Gender differences in mathematics performance are rarely reported before or during the early years of elementary school. From the beginning of secondary schooling and beyond, males often, but not unfailingly, outperform females on tests in mathematics. Whether performance differences are found seems to depend on the format and content of the tests (e.g., Cox, Leder, & Forgasz, 2004), whether high or low cognitive level items predominate (e.g., Hyde, Lindberg, Linn, Ellis, & Williams, 2008), whether standardized tests or classroom-based data are compared (e.g., Kenney- Benson, Pomerantz, Ryan, & Patrick, 2006) and the composition of the group. For example, gender differences in favor of males are frequently found when the sample consists of high achievers (Leder, Forgasz, & Taylor, 2006; McGraw, Lubienski, & Strutchens, 2006; Mullis & Stemler, 2002)—a finding of particular relevance for this chapter with its emphasis on high achievers in mathematics.