Report: More girls getting into the game in Gwinnett
Gwinnett County boys, the girls are gaining on you again.
School district administrators released a report Thursday that showed a slightly higher percentage of girls are participating in athletic activities.
During the 2015-16 school year, 47.35 percent of Gwinnett students who participated in athletics were girls. During the 2014-15 school year, girls represented 47 percent of Gwinnett’s athletes. The increase in participation is a somewhat of a comeback for girls. In the 2013-14 school year, girls represented 48.5 percent of Gwinnett’s student athletes.
Gwinnett, the state’s largest school district, spent slightly more than 47 percent of girls sports during the 2015-16 school year. That’s one percentage point higher than what was spent during the 2014-15 school year.
The participation and spending data does not include football. Gwinnett’s report showed one girl participated in football last school year.
Georgia public school districts are required to file an annual report detailing efforts to offer equal athletic opportunities for boys and girls, which is required under the federal government’s Title IX rules. School districts in non-compliance can lose state grants, be banned from post-season play or lose state funding.
About the Author
Eric Stirgus joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2001. He currently writes about higher education and has assisted in the newsroom’s COVID-19 vaccine coverage. Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Eric is active in the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists and the Education Writers Association and enjoys mentoring aspiring journalists.
