Evaluation of Outcomes of a Single-Sex Educational Program at an Elementary School

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to evaluate outcomes of a single-sex program at an elementary school in Portsmouth, Virginia. Evaluation criteria were (girls' and boys' feelings about being grouped into single-sex education and coeducational classes, (teaching behaviors, (3) student achievement, (4)student attendance, and (5) student misbehaviors.

There were four measures of feelings in this study: feelings about the teacher, feelings about relationships with classmates, feelings about school work, and feelings about the classroom climate. Four one-way ANOVAs with Scheffe's post-hoc comparisons were conducted. Results of the post-hoc analyses revealed that the single-sex male class had more positive feelings about the classroom climate than the single-sex female class.

Teaching behaviors were evaluated through the use of the Hopkins Observation Report Form. Teaching behaviors in two single-sex classrooms and coeducational classrooms were observed and reported using one-way ANOVAs in three areas: interaction, influence, and non-verbal messages. No differences were found in the frequency of teaching behaviors used in single-sex and coeducational classes in any of the areas.

Student achievement was evaluated using pre- and post-test scores from the Tests for Higher Standards by Flanagan and Mott (1999). The single-sex female, single-sex male, & coed A classes had higher science scores than students in the coed B class. Students in the single-sex male and single-sex female classes had higher social studies scores than the students in the coed B and coed A classes. No differences were found in the performance of the three class types on the math achievement test.

A one-way analysis of variance was conducted to identify differences in absences among the four class groups. Results of Scheffe's post-hoc comparisons showed a difference in absences between the coed A class and the single-sex female class, the single-sex male class, and the coed B class. In all cases the coed A class had more absences per student.

Student misbehavior was reported in four categories: (1) opposition to authority, (2) disrespect, (3) disturbance to the class and peers, and (4) altercation. More misconduct referrals were reported from the two coeducational classes when their data were combined.