Gender Representation Among Professionals in Florida's Public Schools

Series 2011-30DMay 2011

Gender Representation among Professionals in Florida’s Public Schools

Introduction

Although women have traditionally accounted for a substantial majority of public school teachers, the percentage of female public school principals is significantly smaller. This disparity is narrowing, however. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, women accounted for 39.1 percent of public school principals nationwide in 1993-94, 46.3 percent in 1999-2000, and 49.7 percent in 2003-04.1By 2007-08,51.0 percent of principals were female, more than half of all public school principals.2 Although the gap between male and female principals is narrowing at the national level, the percentage of female principals remains smaller than the percentage of teachers who are female (74.7 percent).3

Figure 1: Growth in Percentage of Female Principals, U.S.

1U.S. Department of Education, NationalCenter for Education Statistics.The Condition of Education 2007.

2 U.S. Department of Education, NationalCenter for Education Statistics.The Condition of Education 2010.

3Ibid.

Florida Department of Education

Dr. Eric J. Smith, Commissioner

Gender distribution in major assignment areas, 2000 and 2010

A shift has occurred in the composition of administrative staff in Florida’s public schools over the last ten years. The table below compares ten-year trends in gender distribution within major assignment areas for full-time staff.

Table 1: Gender Distribution in Major Assignment Areas, 2000 and 2010

Instructional Staff / Administrative Staff / Total Full-Time Staff
Fall 2000 / Fall 2010 / Fall 2000 / Fall 2010 / Fall 2000 / Fall 2010
Number / Percent / Number / Percent / Number / Percent / Number / Percent / Number / Percent / Number / Percent
Male / 33,432 / 22.2% / 39,369 / 20.5% / 4,185 / 44.2% / 4,264 / 37.8% / 67,448 / 24.5% / 76,431 / 23.5%
Female / 117,128 / 77.8% / 153,095 / 79.5% / 5,285 / 55.8% / 7,016 / 62.2% / 207,648 / 75.5% / 248,252 / 76.5%
Total / 150,560 / 192,464 / 9,470 / 11,280 / 275,096 / 324,683

Sources: Florida Department of Education. EIAS Data Report: Staff in Florida’s Public Schools, 2010-11 and EIAS Statistical Brief: Staff in Florida’s Public Schools, 2000-01

While the ratios of male to female instructional staff and male to female total full-time staff remained relatively constant from 2000 to 2010, the percentage of female administrators increased 6.4 percentage points for this same period.

Gender Distributions of Principals and Elementary and Secondary Teachers*

In Florida, the percentage of female principals increased 0.3 percentage points from 2005 to 2010, and the proportion of female elementary and secondary teachers also remained fairly constant (up1.0 percentage points) during this same period. Female assistant principals experienced the largestincrease over the past five years (2.9 percentage points). Figures 2 through 4 depict the percentages of male and female elementary and secondary teachers, principals, and assistant principals in 2005 and 2010. The data source for these figures is the Florida Department of Education Staff Database, Survey 2 data, October 10-14, 2005 andOctober 11-15,2010.

Figure 2: Gender Distribution among Elementary and Secondary Teachers, Fall 2005 to Fall 2010

Figure 3: Gender Distribution among Principals, Fall 2005 to Fall 2010

*Teacher data only include elementary and secondary teachers. ESE and other teachers are not included.

Figure 4: Gender Distribution among Assistant Principals, Fall 2005 to Fall 2010

Gender Comparisons in Elementary and Secondary Grade Levels

From 2005 to 2010 the most significant percentage change was that of elementary school principals (2.0 percentage point increase for women). There werealso positive shifts for femaleelementary and secondary teachers during this period (0.6 and 1.5percentage pointincreases, respectively). These categories increased even though females already represented a very high percentage of staff in these jobs.

At the elementary level the number of female principals is significantly larger than the number of male principals. Nonetheless, the ratio of female teachers to female principals versus the ratio of male teachers to male principals suggests a gender gap. For every female principal, there are 47.6 female teachers as compared to 16.5 male teachers for every male principal. There was little change in these ratios from 2005to 2010.

At the secondary level during this time span, the ratios of female principals to female teachers and of male principals to male teachers changedmore dramatically from 83.1 female teachers for every female principal to 84.3 female teachers for every female principal and 42.5 male teachers for every male principal to 38.0 male teachers for every male principal. The data source for the following tables is the Florida Department of Education Staff Database, Survey 2 data, October 11-15, 2010, and Survey 2 data, October 10-14, 2005.

Table 2: Gender Comparisons in Elementary and Secondary Grade Levels, 2010-11

Elementary / Secondary
Principals / Teachers / Principals / Teachers
Number / % of Total / Number / % of Total / Number / % of Total / Number / % of Total
Female / 1,421 / 76.6% / 67,699 / 90.4% / 503 / 44.5% / 42,385 / 64.0%
Male / 434 / 23.4% / 7,152 / 9.6% / 627 / 55.5% / 23,796 / 36.0%
Total / 1,855 / 74,851 / 1,130 / 66,181

Table 3: Gender Comparisons in Elementary and Secondary Grade Levels, 2005-06

Elementary / Secondary
Principals / Teachers / Principals / Teachers
Number / % of Total / Number / % of Total / Number / % of Total / Number / % of Total
Female / 1,303 / 74.6% / 62,267 / 89.8% / 461 / 46.1% / 38,306 / 62.5%
Male / 444 / 25.4% / 7,089 / 10.2% / 540 / 53.9% / 22,950 / 37.5%
Total / 1,747 / 69,356 / 1,001 / 61,256

As a service to Florida school districts, Data Reports present information on education topics of current interest. Each Data Report is prepared by Education Information and Accountability Services, 852 Turlington Bldg., 325 W. Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida32399-0400. For further information, call (850) 245-0400 or visit our web address at