It's not just the boys. My daughter who is bright and started off with determined motivation to get good grades is now a sophomore in high school and they have really knocked the stuffings out of her (metaphorically, not literally).
It has been devastating to watch her demotivation and bitterness develop due to what she CORRECTLY perceives as the complete irrelevance of the "educational content" the school is providing.
Common Core is a big part of the problem. So is the complete lack of coursework aimed at cultivating actual life/job skills.
I feel for her.
Common Core has a lot to do with it.
Common core was stupid. I live in the best school district in the state, St Augustine in St Johns County and all kids saw their grades slip lower.
They did not even implement it at K level first but put it in to all grades.
Not surprising either that the best school district here in Florida is one of the most republican counties in the state either.