A population level analysis of the gender gap in mathematics: Results on over 13 million children using the INVALSI dataset

TL;DR

This study analyzes the gender gap in mathematics among over 13 million Italian students, revealing that males outperform females with gaps widening through school grades and varying regionally, not explained by economic factors.

Contribution

It provides a large-scale, detailed analysis of gender differences in mathematics within a single country and instructional system across multiple grades and regions.

Findings

Males outperform females in mathematics, with gaps increasing from grade 2 to 8.

Gender gap in mathematics is larger in northern Italy than in southern Italy.

No regional difference in reading gender gap was observed.

Abstract

Whether males outperform females in mathematics is still debated. Such a gender gap varies across countries, but the determinants of the differences are unclear and could be produced by heterogeneity in the instructional systems or cultures and may vary across school grades. To clarify this issue, we took advantage of the INVALSI dataset, that offered over 13 million observations covering one single instructional system (i.e., the Italian system) in grades 2, 5, and 8, in the period 2010-2018. Results showed that males outperformed females in mathematics (and vice versa in reading), with gaps widening from the 2nd through to the 8th grade. The gender gap in mathematics was larger in the richer northern Italian regions (also characterized by greater gender equality) than in southern regions. This was not explained by average performance or fully accounted for by economic factors. No such north-south difference of the gap emerged in reading. Results are discussed with reference to the literature showing that the gender gap varies across world regions.