Australia Primary and Secondary Academic Preparation

AMSI

AMSI uses the term “higher” mathematics to refer to advanced, calculus-based levels of mathematics. In Australia in 2022, only 9% of students in Year 12 enrolled in a higher mathematics course. In 2022, out of the students taking higher mathematics courses, girls represented 37.5% of total enrollments. 

In 2022, while 11.8% of boys were taking a higher mathematics course, only 6.4% of girls in year 12 were enrolled in the course, all time low participation rates for both genders. Over the past decade, the male participation rate has decreased more than the female participation rate.

For most of Australia, students enrolled in higher mathematics must take “intermediate” mathematics. The data in the table refers to students enrolled in intermediate mathematics but not higher mathematics. In 2022, only 18% of students participated in intermediate mathematics. In 2022, out of the students taking intermediate mathematics courses, girls represented 50.2% of total enrollments, marking the first time that females participated at a higher rate than males.

Female participation in year 12 intermediate mathematics is slightly higher than higher mathematics courses, where in 2022, 17.0% of girls are enrolled in the course while 18.5% of boys are enrolled in this course. Over the past decade, the participation rate has been close across both genders, with boys historically participating at slightly higher rates than girls. 

TIMSS

According to TIMSS, the mean scores in math and science have increased in Australia in the last two decades for fourth grade girls and boys. Girls experienced an increase of 17 points from 2003 (497) to 2023 (514) in math and  an increase of 23 points from 2003 (522) to 2023 (545) in science. Boys experienced a larger increase of 37 points in math and an increase of  36 points in science from 2003 to 2023. The gender gap, in favor of boys, has opened up in math since 2003 (3 point difference), with boys scoring 23 points ahead of girls by 2023. However, in science the gender gap has fluctuated since 2012 (3 points in favor of girls), reversed in 2022 (5 points in favor of boys). Girls outperformed boys in 2015 and 2019 by 1 point. Despite this, the gender gap reversed in favor of boys (10 points) by 2023.

According to TIMSS, scores in math have increased in Australia in the last two decades for 8th grade girls and boys. Girls experienced an increase of 3 points from 2003 (499) to 2023 (502) in math. Boys experienced an increase of 4 points from 2003 (511) to 2023 (515). The gender gap, in favor of boys, in math has widened since 2003 (12 point difference), with boys scoring 13 points ahead of girls by 2023. Scores in science decreased 4 points for girls and 11 points for boys from 2003 to 2023. The gender gap in science has fluctuated throughout the last 20 years, with a 20 point gender difference (calculated as boys-girls) found in 2003. Boys scored 13 points ahead of girls in science by 2023.  

PISA

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation Development (OECD), the 90th, mean, and 10th percentile scores in math have decreased 9-29 points in Australia in the last decade. A couple of the greatest changes are found in 10th percentile scores, with girls experiencing a drop of 18 points from 2012 (379) to 2022 (361) and boys experiencing a drop of 29 points from 2012 (385) to 2022 (356). In 2022, girls (361) outperformed boys (356) in 10th percentile scores.

90th percentile, 10th percentile and mean scores have decreased 1-30 points from 2012 to 2022. Among mean scores, girls and boys scored almost the same between 2012-2022. In 2022, girls (370) outperformed boys (358) in 10th percentile scores by 12 points. 90th percentile scores experienced a decrease of 4 points for girls and 1 point for boys between 2012 to 2022. A couple of the greatest changes are found in 10th percentile scores, with girls experiencing a drop of 24 points from 2012 (394) to 2022 (370) and boys experiencing a drop of 30 points from 2012 (388) to 2022 (358).

The gender differences (calculated as boys-girls) in 90th percentile scores in math has been between 27 points to 35 points in favor of boys from 2012 to 2022. The gender differences in 90th percentile scores in science has been between 11 points to 16 points in favor of boys from 2012 to 2022.

In Australia, more boys than girls performed above a level 5 proficiency level (considered top performers) in math in the last decade. In 2022, 9.6% of girls were considered top performers compared to 14.9% of boys in Australia.