Continuing the Journey Toward Gender Equity

Abstract

Many contributors to this article started their journey to increase gender equity in education around 1972, when federal Title IX legislation was passed. Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance. This article discusses progress and future possibilities for additional useful research. After reviewing relevant goals, we address equity issues in the areas of the education workforce; student educational attainment and career achievement; formal curricula (including content and testing); and informal curricula (including classroom interaction, single-sex environments, sexuality, and family and child care issues). Although there has been progress in attaining equity goals in some of these areas, we conclude that there are many continuing inequities that merit exploration and resolution by educational researchers and practitioners. Additionally, there is a need for more systematic development of a comprehensive research and development agenda and a supportive national infrastructure to fund, promote, deliver, and achieve gender equity in education.