A report on the educational status of black women during the un decade of women, 1976–85
By most statistical indicators, the educational gains made by black women during the past decade are rapidly being eroded: high school completion rates and college enrollment figures are declining, and dropout rates are increasing. The increase in black women earning bachelors and graduate degrees is due almost entirely to their higher participation rates in college. A higher proportion of blacks than whites are below 24 years of age; declining enrollments at a time when the black population is expanding reflects a significant loss. Important areas for policy initiatives include increases in financial aid. a critical factor in college attendance by black women-particularly at the graduate and professional degree levels-improvement in quality of primary and secondary education and counseling, and continuing education programs for teenage mothers.
WHY DOES JANE READ AND WRITE SO WELL? THE ANOMALY OF WOMEN'S ACHIEVEMENT
Numerous studies have found that women's academic achievement not only equals but often surpasses that of men. In this society, in which educational credentials are linked to jobs, promotions, wages, and status, women's educational accomplishments appear anomalous because women continue to receive far fewer rewards for their educational credentials than do men with comparable credentials. In view of the limited rewards that women are likely to receive for education, why do they do as well and attain as much education as they do? This article examines the anomaly of women's achievement in light of four hypotheses and presents empirical evidence to assess each hypothesis. Attention is paid throughout to racial and class differences in women's lived experiences in the opportunity structure. Finally, directions for future research are suggested. The evidence is in and the conclusion is clear: Women can and do achieve academically as well as do men. The myth of female underachievement has been exposed by many studies that have indicated that women's motivation and behavior to achieve not only equal but often surpass that of men (Klein 1985; Maccoby and Jacklin 1974; National Center for Educational Statistics 1986; Stockard 1985; Stockard and Wood 1984; U.S. Bureau of the Census 1987). Today, as in the past, more girls than boys graduate from high school and more women than men receive baccalaureate degrees,' and nationwide, women now outnumber men in master's degree programs. More men than women are enrolled only in professional and Ph.D. programs, but even here, the gaps between women and men are closing (National Center for Educational Statistics 1986; Stockard et al. 1980). Fields of specialization continue to be gender linked-mathematics, engineering, and the physical and biological sciences are dominated by males, and the social sciences and humanities are dominated by femalesbut evidence from a study of undergraduates indicates that differences are disappearing here, too (Hafner and Shaha 1984).
The Prediction of Grades for Black and White Students at Michigan State University.
The regression equations of sophomore year cumulative grade point averages on five ability and achievement test scores for blacks and whites at Michigan State University showed a significant difference. However, use of these separate regression equations would not be in favor of black students. The variance accounted for by the predictors was similar for both groups.