ABSTRACT
Females are generally younger than males in first grade and are less likely to fall behind. In 1993, a smaller percentage of females than males in first grade were aged 7 or older (17 and 22%, respectively) (U.S. Department of Education, 1993:20). Females are also less likely than males to repeat a grade. In 1995, girls aged 5-12 were less likely than boys of this age group to have repeated a grade since starting school (U .S. Department of Education, 2000d:40). Boys and girls in this age group were both more likely to repeat kindergarten or first grade than they were to repeat a grade between second and sixth grade. In a research study on elementary classrooms, however, Sadker and Sadker (1994) found that teachers were more likely to do things for girls while showing boys how to do things. This may be just the start of a differential pattern of treatment of boys and girls in school.
