Title IX Created Opportunities for Women
By Mary Branham, CSG Managing Editor
Those 37 words left an indelible mark on the U.S. education system and gave women more opportunities in academics and athletics.
President Richard Nixon signed Title IX on June 23, 1972. It was one of several amendments included in the Education Amendments of 1972. Nixon spent most of his remarks about the amendments discussing desegregation busing and didn’t mention the expansion of education access for women.
Rep. Patsy T. Mink of Hawaii was a driving force behind Title IX, and the amendment was renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act after her death in 2002. Indiana Sen. Birch Bayh is credited with authorship of the final bill.
“While the impact of this amendment would be far-reaching, it is not a panacea,” Byah said, according to the Congressional Record. “It is, however, an important first step in the effort to provide for the women of America something that is rightfully theirs—an equal chance to attend the schools of their choice, to develop the skills they want, and to apply those skills with the knowledge that they will have a fair chance to secure the jobs of their choice with equal pay for equal work.”
Looking at the state of the educational system before and after the passage of Title IX, it appears the country has achieved some of those goals. Many believe much more progress can be made.
In Sports
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In 1972, fewer than 32,000 women participated in intercollegiate athletics.
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In 2010–11, 193,232 women participated in intercollegiate athletics.
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In 1972, women‘s teams received only 2 percent of schools’ athletics budgets; and no athletic scholarships.
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In 2010–11, for every $1 spent on women’s sports, about $2.50 are spent on men’s sports.
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In 1972, 295,000 girls competed in high school sports, while 3.67 million boys did.
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In 2010–11, 3.2 million girls participated in high school sports, while 4.5 million boys did.
Source: National Women’s Law Center, “Title IX, 40 Years and Counting”
In Computer Science Degrees
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In 1985, women received 37 percent of undergraduate computer science degrees
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In 2010, women received 18 percent of undergraduate computer science degrees
Source: Women and Information Technology, By the Numbers, National Center for Women & Information Technology
In the Workforce
In 2011, women held:
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57 percent of professional occupations in the U.S. workforce
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25 percent of professional computing occupations
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20 percent of chief information positions at Fortune 250 companies (2012)
Source: Women and Information Technology, By the Numbers, National Center for Women & Information Technology
On Advanced Placement Tests
In 2011, females took:
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56 percent of all AP tests
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46 percent of calculus tests
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19 percent of computer science tests
Source: Women and Information Technology, By the Numbers, National Center for Women & Information Technology
In Schools
Colleges
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1970» Women were 23 percent of faculty
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2010» Women were 42 percent of faculty
Source: Association of American Colleges and Universities
College presidents
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1970» 3 percent were women
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1986» 9.5 percent were women
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2011» 26.4 percent were women
Sources: Association of American Colleges and Universities, Chronicle of Higher Education
Before and After Title IX
1971–72
Women earned:
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43 percent of associate degrees
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46 percent of bachelor’s degrees
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40.5 percent of master’s degrees
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6 percent of first professional degrees
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15.8 percent of doctoral degrees
2008–09
Women earned:
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62 percent of associate degrees
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57 percent of bachelor’s degrees
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60 percent of master’s degrees
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59 percent of first professional degrees
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52 percent of doctoral degrees