Periodically, ICGS partners with research organizations to conduct research on topics of interest to our members. These studies analyze and evaluate various aspects of the girls' school experience.
In an effort to support girls’ mental health around the globe, in 2023 International Coalition of Girls’ Schools (ICGS) partnered with Challenge Success, a non-profit organization affiliated with the Stanford University Graduate School of Education, to explore the experiences of girls in ICGS member schools. As the leading advocate for girls’ schools, ICGS connects and collaborates globally with individuals, schools, and mission-aligned entities dedicated to educating and empowering girls. Challenge Success partners with school communities to elevate student voice and implement research-based, equity-centered strategies to improve student well-being, belonging, and engagement. The two educational organizations share many values, including elevating student voices and empowering students to use their agency to drive positive change.
Our aim was to explore the experiences of girls in girls’ schools through gathering and sharing data collected via the Challenge Success-Stanford Survey of Student Experiences. Equally important was to highlight areas where girls are doing well such as feeling a strong sense of belonging, support, and engagement in school. The purpose of this is to provide ICGS member schools with recommendations for promising research-based, equity-centered policies and practices aimed at improving girls’ well-being, engagement, and belonging in school.
The latest PISA report has been analysed, and once again it shows that girls’ schools are providing a valuable environment where girls can reach their full potential and are supported academically, socially and emotionally. PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) is a global study conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). It is an important benchmark that evaluates the educational performance of 15-year-old students in 81 countries and provides an assessment of student abilities in reading, mathematics and science. This PISA assessment was delayed from 2021 to 2022 due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, the results are valuable and give fantastic insight into the academic, social and emotional bene ts of girls' schools in Australasia – especially in light of the wellbeing challenges faced since the pandemic.
In this brief, we share the insights from the PISA data.
This ICGS-commissioned study dives into the experiences of girls participating in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The report compared data from girls enrolled in coeducational schools and girls’ schools in 12 participating countries. Of the 60,144 respondents, 46,352 (75%) of the participating schools were coed, while 13,792 (23%) were girls’ schools. Findings trended overwhelmingly positive across a number of measures for those students attending girls’ schools, and the key differences are highlighted in this Executive Summary.
