AbstractThe hypothesis that proportionately more boys than girls experience reading failure was tested on a sample of 708 children using both test‐identified and teacher‐identified criteria. Test‐identified reading failure was defined by low scores on standardized reading achievement tests given at the end of first and third grade. For Severely Reading Disabled (total reading score at the 10th percentile or lower), the ratio of boys to girls was 1.4:1 at first grade and 1.3:1 at third. At both grades equal proportions of boys and girls were represented in the Reading Disabled category (total reading score between the 11th and 30th percentile). Teacher‐identified reading failure criteria consisted of enrollment in LD and Chapter One (remedial reading) programs at first and third grades. Teacher‐identified ratios of boys to girls in LD were 2:1 at both first and third grade, exceeding the test‐identified ratios, while identification for Chapter One services did not show a gender