Boys

Read more about the experiences of boys in schools

Project

Kindergarteners in a play-based learning class raise their hands while participating in an activity at Symonds Elementary School in Keene, N.H. on Nov. 7, 2024.
For Too Many Boys, School Isn’t Working. Solutions Are in Reach
A special reporting project explores why boys, overall, are doing worse in school than girls—and what can be done to reverse the trend.
View Project
PhD student and Physical Therapist Stephen Eaton, left, explains ultrasound imaging to RAMP students during a lab at the University of Maryland School of Medicine on Oct. 16, 2025, in Baltimore, Md. RAMP, which stands for Research and Mentoring Program, is a training program that targets high school juniors and seniors from Baltimore City to prepare them for careers in biomedical research.
Doctoral student and physical therapist Stephen Eaton, left, explains ultrasound imaging to students in the Research and Mentoring program during a lab at the University of Maryland School of Medicine on Oct. 16, 2025, in Baltimore. Men are heavily underrepresented in health fields, and more high schools are designing programs that, like RAMP, encourage boys to consider high-growth fields traditionally dominated by women.
KT Kanazawich for Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness Schools Are Working to Show Boys That the Helping Professions Aren't 'Girly'
Experts say boys don't get support to enter traditionally female careers.
Sarah D. Sparks, October 23, 2025
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11 min read
A tight cropped photograph of unrecognizable African American man sitting on sofa with his son, both watching something on smartphones.
iStock/Getty
Student Well-Being & Movement How All That Masculinity Content Online Really Makes Boys Feel
Nearly every boy in a new survey says they've seen content online about body image or appearance.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, October 14, 2025
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4 min read
Two brothers are sitting on the sofa looking at a mobile phone together. Younger one is close to him, watching over his shoulder.
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Student Well-Being & Movement Online Messages About Masculinity Hurt Boys’ Self-Esteem. How Educators Can Help
Boys online frequently see messages about making money, building muscle, and fighting or using weapons.
Caitlynn Peetz Stephens, October 8, 2025
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6 min read
The United States Capitol building as a bookcase filled with red, white, and blue policy books in a Washington DC landscape.
Luca D'Urbino for Education Week
Student Well-Being & Movement Opinion Why Charlie Kirk Was an Icon to So Many Boys
The 31-year-old firebrand offered something different to many who feel adrift.
Rick Hess, September 15, 2025
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6 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Teaching Opinion Students Can Easily Fall for Dangerous Messaging. What Teachers Can Do
Bad feelings and alienation can plague young people. You can address those emotions in the classroom.
Larry Ferlazzo, May 29, 2025
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4 min read
The United States Capitol building as a bookcase filled with red, white, and blue policy books in a Washington DC landscape.
Luca D'Urbino for Education Week
Equity & Diversity Opinion Boys Are Struggling in School. What Can Be Done?
Girls outpace boys at nearly every level of academic achievement. Author Richard Reeves shares his thoughts.
Rick Hess, May 20, 2025
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6 min read
An elementary student reads on his own in class.
An elementary student reads on his own in class.
Allison Shelley/EDUimages
Reading & Literacy 5 Ways Teachers Can Get Boys to Love Reading
Students' reading scores have hit record lows, with boys' scores falling furthest. Pleasure reading could help.
Elizabeth Heubeck, January 30, 2025
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5 min read
Jon Becker, upper school history and English teacher, has 9th grader Demetrios Karavedas stand on a chair and apologize for forgetting his book during their 9th grade English class at Boys’ Latin School of Maryland on Oct. 24, 2024 in Baltimore, Md.
Jon Becker, a history and English teacher at Boys' Latin School of Maryland in Baltimore, has 9th grader Demetrios Karavedas stand on a chair and apologize for forgetting his book on Oct. 24, 2024. Positive relationships with teachers matter for boys' academic motivation and success.
Jaclyn Borowski/Education Week
Student Well-Being & Movement Boys Want a Strong Relationship With Their Teachers. That Doesn't Always Happen
The key to inspiring boys in the classroom is a strong student-teacher relationship, experts say. Here's how to make it work.
Elizabeth Heubeck, January 27, 2025
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7 min read
Jessica Arrow, a play-based learning kindergarten teacher, leads her kindergarten class back into their classroom from forest play time at Symonds Elementary School in Keene, N.H. on Nov. 7, 2024.
Jessica Arrow, a kindergarten teacher at Symonds Elementary School in Keene, N.H., leads her students back into their classroom from forest play time on Nov. 7, 2024. Boys crave strong relationships with their teachers, experts say.
Sophie Park for Education Week
Teaching Download Teachers, Here's How to Build Stronger Relationships With Boys (Downloadable)
Boys are relational learners, experts say. Here are eight key strategies for how to reach them.
Elizabeth Heubeck & Francis Sheehan, January 27, 2025
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5 min read
High school student Me’Kenzie Square-Ward, 17, works with a small group of fourth grade students at Clayton Elementary School, where he has an internship in Smyrna, Del., on October 15, 2024.
Me’Kenzie Square-Ward, 17, works with a small group of 4th grade students at Clayton Elementary School in Smyrna, Del., on Oct. 15, 2024. Many boys, especially boys of color, don't consider teaching as a profession, but Me'Kenzie has a teaching internship through his high school's career pathways program.
Michelle Gustafson for Education Week
Recruitment & Retention Why Boys Don't Want to Become Teachers and What Schools Can Do About It
Boys would benefit from more male role models in the classroom.
Elizabeth Heubeck, January 27, 2025
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10 min read
Students play in the creativity corner during recess at Boys’ Latin School of Maryland on Oct. 24, 2024 in Baltimore, Md.
Students play in the creativity corner during recess at Boys’ Latin School of Maryland in Baltimore on Oct. 24, 2024. When schools offer students more independence and choice, boys in particular tend to thrive, experts say.
Jaclyn Borowski/Education Week
School & District Management How These Schools Get Boys Excited About Learning
These four schools are reimagining their schedules and operations to better serve boys.
Elizabeth Heubeck, January 27, 2025
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2 min read
011725 Boys Charlottesville BS
Middle school boys chat in the hallway at the Community Lab School in Charlottesville, Va. The public charter school prioritizes student autonomy and collaboration, which educators say motivates boys to want to learn.
Courtesy of Don Barnes
Student Well-Being & Movement Middle School Is Tough for Boys. One School Found the 'Secret Sauce' for Success
Hands-on learning, choice, and other evidence-based practices help boys thrive.
Elizabeth Heubeck, January 27, 2025
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9 min read
Students work in groups to build roller coasters during the innovation period at Boys’ Latin School of Maryland on Oct. 24, 2024 in Baltimore, Md.
Middle schoolers work in groups to build roller coasters during an innovation period at Boys’ Latin School of Maryland in Baltimore on Oct. 24, 2024. The private school has reworked its schedule to give students more time for choice and socializing.
Jaclyn Borowski/Education Week
Student Well-Being & Movement What 'Boy-Friendly' Changes Look Like at Every Grade Level
An all-boys school gave students more autonomy and time for socializing. The results have been powerful.
Elizabeth Heubeck, January 27, 2025
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9 min read
High school student Aaron Bartsch, 17, helps unload tools from a work van before working in a customer’s home as part of an internship with Barkley Heating and Air in Smyrna, Del., on October 15, 2024.
High schooler Aaron Bartsch, 17, helps unload tools from a work van before working in a customer’s home as part of an internship with Barkley Heating and Air in Smyrna, Del., on Oct. 15, 2024. His high school offers career pathways so students can get a taste of real-world, experiential learning.
Michelle Gustafson for Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness Boys Think School Is a Waste of Time. Career Pathways Prove Them Wrong
Real-world, experiential learning appeals to how boys learn best, educators say.
Elizabeth Heubeck, January 27, 2025
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7 min read
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