by Catherine Brown

Freshman Gabi Dorrell made the decision last summer to go to St. Teresa’s Academy, the all-girls high school in Kansas City, Missouri. She thought an all-girls school would be beneficial intellectually and could give her more opportunities for her future.

“I feel more confident in class in terms of my education,” Dorrell said. “I don’t feel like people are going to think I’m a ‘nerd’ or something if I raise my hand every once in awhile.”

According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), girls did better in academic confidence in single-sex schools. 81% of female graduates from single-sex schools rated themselves “above average” or “in the highest 10 percent” for academic ability, compared to 75% of female co-ed students. Single-sex graduates also rated themselves much higher in intellectual self-confidence, writing ability, and public speaking ability.

 “I think it’s better [single-sex schools] because there are less distractions and you’re willing to participate because in co-ed schools, some people may feel more self-conscious,” freshman Claire McHugh said. “Here there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

In single-sex schools, success didn’t stop in the classroom, but was present outside of school, too. Studies from the ACLU showed that on average, 62% of women who graduated from single-sex schools spent 11 or more hours per week studying or doing homework in high school; this means good grades. In comparison, 42% of co-ed graduates will do the same.

“Compared to my last school, I didn’t make as much of an effort to ask for help because that wasn’t the most important thing on my mind,” Dorrell said. “I study more because I know it will be harder to get an A on something than it was at my old school. At STA, it’s good to be smart, and that’s one of my favorite things about it.”

Many think single-sex schools can serve as a way to improve educational and behavioral problems, but there are some who disagree. There is no evidence that can support single-sex schools are more beneficial over co-ed or vice versa. The ACLU pointed out that single-sex schools that do well are successful not because they are segregated, but because they have good educational environments; including small classes, adequate funding, parental involvement, and qualified teachers, which help bring about success in co-ed classrooms as well.

“Actually I think there are the same benefits [in co-ed schools] as single-sex,” principal for student affairs, Mary Anne Hoecker said. “If you have a good teacher and students willing to learn, it will make for a good combination. As long as you have the right ingredients, co-ed or not, you’ll get a good education.”