Skip Navigation

What Works Clearinghouse


Overview

Transition Mathematics aims to increase 7th- through 12th-grade students' skills in applied arithmetic, pre-algebra, and pre-geometry. This one-year curriculum also addresses general application to different wordings of problems, types of numbers, and contexts for problems and aims to promote mathematical reading skills. The curriculum uses the University of Chicago School Mathematics Project (UCSMP) textbook. The sequence of the topics intends to assist the transition from arithmetic to algebra and geometry.

Research

One study of Transition Mathematics, first edition, comparing it with Expert Mathematician, met the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) evidence standards. One study of the first edition and one study of the second edition of the intervention, comparing it with diverse curricula used in different schools, met WWC evidence standards with reservations. The three studies included more than 2,000 students in seventh, eighth, and ninth grades in schools throughout the United States. 1

Effectiveness

Transition Mathematics was found to have mixed effects on mathematics achievement.

  Math achievement
Rating of effectiveness Mixed effects
Improvement index2 Average: +0 percentile points
Range: -14 to +19 percentile points
 
1 The evidence presented in this report is based on available research. Findings and conclusions may change as new research becomes available.
2 These numbers show the average and range of improvement indices for all findings across the studies.

PO Box 2393
Princeton, NJ 08543-2393
Phone: 1-866-503-6114