Neal Finkelstein

Mastering algebra is a fundamental step toward gaining access to and preparing for the higher level math courses that high school students must complete in order to be prepared for college. Three recent REL West studies conducted by the Silicon Valley Research Alliance shed important light on policies and practices that affect student success in algebra and preparation for higher level math courses. Download the research brief to explore the findings from these REL West studies. Read the repo...

The Effects of the Elevate Math summer program on math achievement and algebra readiness: This randomized trial examined the effects of the Elevate Math summer program on math achievement and algebra readiness, as well as math interest and self-efficacy, among rising 8th grade students in California's Silicon Valley. The Elevate Math summer math program targets students who score in the range between "high basic" and "low proficient" on state math tests. It consists of 19 days of mathematics ...

This REL West study explores the prevalence of students repeating Algebra I, who is most likely to repeat the course, and the level of improvement for students who repeat. Using six years of data from a cohort of 3,400 first-time seventh grade students in a California school district, authors found that 44 percent of students repeated algebra I. Overall, student performance improved on average by approximately one-half of a letter grade and a little less than one-third of a performance level ...

Questions about how best to place students into appropriate middle grade math courses have been central to ongoing education policy and practice discussions in California and across the United States. Recent studies have shown that enrolling in algebra I in grade 8 works well for some students but backfires for others. This REL West report provides findings from a study of placements that were based on different test scores available for middle school students in California. Findings indicate...

For decades, economists, prominent educators, Nobel laureates, and business and government leaders have advocated for economic literacy as an essential component in school curricula. Their arguments have ranged from the need to improve people’s ability to manage personal finances to the value of economic education for critical thinking and an informed citizenry.