A detrimental imbalance has existed nationally that has left boys at an unintentional systemic disadvantage in
learning. Decisions are made about curricular content, behavior management and the structure of the school day
that inadvertently ignores boys’ interests, experiences and inherent tendencies. Compared to girls, boys often
perform lower academically and receive more disciplinary action, and are more frequently diagnosed with learning
disabilities and emotional disorders. Unfortunately, these elementary performance disparities follow the genders
through to high school graduation where the gap in graduation rates can also be found.
The Foundation’s board oversaw the creation of a white paper on the subject and, in 2013-14, held a series of
community symposiums identifying the gap in our community. Working closely with Pinellas County Schools, the
Foundation launched a transformative endeavor. It began with six Pinellas elementary schools and has since grown
to 10, each offering gender specific teaching methods to support student success.
Closing the gap requires a deeper understanding on how the mind works and the integration of creative teaching strategies in the classroom. Here you can find videos, articles and downloads you can use to learn more about how your student's minds work and how to integrate new teaching strategies in your classroom.