Despite performing as well as boys academically in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), girls remain underrepresented in STEM careers. A new study by Joshua Bleiberg at the University of Pittsburgh, Carly Robinson at Brown University, Evan Bennett at the University of Pennsylvania, and Susasnna Loeb at Stanford University finds that assigning ninth-grade girls to female math tutors significantly boosted their interest in STEM and their Algebra 1 performance.
The study included 422 ninth-grade students across five high schools in a large New England school district during the 2021–22 school year. All ninth-graders were eligible to receive Algebra 1 tutoring through Saga Education, a notable focus because Algebra 1 is both a graduation requirement in many school districts and a gateway to future STEM coursework. Tutoring occurred during the school day, either in person or virtually, and in groups of one to three students randomly assigned to either female or male tutors.
Researchers measured STEM interest through an end-of-year survey assessing students’ perceptions of math’s usefulness and their interest in pursuing STEM in college and careers. Girls assigned to female tutors reported significantly greater interest in STEM than girls assigned to male tutors. Female tutor assignment also significantly improved academic outcomes: girls with female tutors were 4 percentage points less likely to earn a D or F in Algebra 1. Researchers found no comparable effect for boys assigned to male tutors.
The effects were driven largely by schools offering in-person tutoring rather than virtual tutoring. The researchers suggest that in-person settings may make students more aware of their tutor’s gender and allow for stronger interpersonal connections, while virtual environments may reduce engagement and increase stress.
The study found no significant differences on Saga’s end-of-year math exam or on attendance, though researchers note that attendance data was likely poorly measured due to pandemic-era data collection challenges and therefore low-quality.
Overall, the findings suggest that female math tutors can positively influence high school girls’ STEM engagement and academic performance. More broadly, the results underscore the value of role models in shaping student outcomes—particularly for groups that face persistent opportunity gaps—and point to tutoring as a flexible and underutilized lever for increasing students’ exposure to diverse educators.