How the gender gap affects elementary schoolers

When it comes to English class, socioeconomic status doesn't matter: Girls are consistently ahead of the game.

But educational inequality between boys and girls sticks out in math class, analysis from The New York Times has found. Boys from rich, white, suburban school districts perform better than girls in math, and research suggests stereotypes are to blame.

From 2008 to 2014, the Times compiled millions of standardized test scores from third through eighth graders across the U.S. The data shows that girls outperform boys in English across the board. But while on average, girls and boys are at the same level in math, race and economic status can push boys above or below the curve.

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The fact that boys in white, affluent districts outperform girls in math is a bit of a contradiction. Researchers told the Times that suburban families tend to believe more strongly in gender equality, but also conform to traditional gender roles. Boys see men succeeding in science- and math-based jobs, so that's where they tend to excel. Meanwhile, boys in black, poor communities start to think school isn't manly and fall behind.

See how your school district stacks up at The New York Times.