THE GIRLS INC. EXPERIENCE WORKS!
We don’t think it—we know it! The Girls Inc. Experience has positive and lasting effects for the girls who participate. Find all the latest research here, attesting to the successes and strides of our programming and our girls!
THE IMPACT OF GIRLS INC. ON ACADEMIC AND BEHAVIORAL OUTCOMES
from The American Institutes for Research (AIR)
“In a rigorous comparison study, we found that girls who participate in the Girls Inc. Experience demonstrated improved academic performance, school-related behaviors, physical activity, and leadership outcomes.“ – Dr. Deborah Moroney, Managing Director of the American Institutes for Research
“[G]irls participating in Girls Inc. were more likely to engage in activities and express beliefs that lead to physical and mental well-being, academic achievement, and the development of leadership skills… [They] had consistently higher math test scores than the comparison group of girls…[and] Girls Inc. girls reported more positive attitudes and behaviors than the comparison group…” – Dr. Allison Dymnicki & Melissa Yisak, AIR Research Team
This study documents the ways in which girls are benefitting from Girls Inc. programming. The ultimate intent: to show what difference a high-quality Girls Inc. Experience makes in the lives of girls. From 2017 to 2019, the American Institutes for Research implemented a quasi-experimental research study with four Girls Inc. affiliates and their school districts in small, medium, and large communities that were reflective of the larger Girls Inc. network.
The results are truly compelling, documenting with strong evidence that Girls Inc. changes the trajectory of girls’ lives and sets them up for life-long success. The results validate what we have known all along: Girls are innately powerful, and they are the strong, smart, and bold leaders our future needs. When girls are given the tools and opportunities to succeed, not only do they change their own circumstances, they also change the circumstances of others around them. THEY CHANGE THE WORLD.
ACROSS BOTH YEARS OF THE STUDY, GIRLS INC. GIRLS SHOWED SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGE OVER THEIR PEERS IN 20 IMPACT AREAS.
Compared to their peers, Girls Inc. girls are significantly more likely to…
- Perform better on standardized math tests
- Be more engaged in school
- Exhibit postsecondary readiness and confidence
- Think math is fun
- Believe in their ability to do challenging math
- Believe in their ability to do challenging reading
- Think science is fun
- Believe in their ability to do challenging science
- Get excited about science
- Are curious about science
- Enjoy games that teach science concepts
- Like to see how things are made
- Want to know more about science, computers, or technology
- Want to have a computer or science job
- Exercise daily
- Play on sports teams
- Leadership: Exhibit strong leadership skills and see themselves as leaders
- Self-Efficacy: Believe in their ability to contribute in their community
- Advocacy: Stand up for fairness and their own beliefs
- Adult Partnership: Rely on positive relationships with adults
For more information on the study and its findings see the below reports:
Lessons from AIR’s Girls Inc. Study: What Helps Girls Thrive (June 2020)