July 12, 2021
SRI International
Mary Klute, REL Appalachia
Many middle schools are now offering Algebra I, a course that used to be taught primarily in high school. Educators and parents alike may wonder how to determine whether their students are ready for Algebra I in middle school. Taking Algebra I in middle school can increase students' opportunities to take more advanced math classes in high school, which opens doors to the widest possible variety of college and career options. But research suggests that if students enroll in Algebra I before they are ready, this option could have the opposite effect. Students who take Algebra I before they are ready may end up struggling with coursework, which may decrease the likelihood that they take higher level math 1, 2, 3
So how can educators know who is ready for Algebra I in middle school? Assessment vendors have developed tests that are specifically designed to assess Algebra I readiness. However, using these tests to determine which students are ready for Algebra I requires that students take an additional standardized assessment. Are other data already available that educators could examine? A recent REL Central study presented at the 2021 annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association explored using data from a state mathematics assessment that all students already take to inform Algebra I placement decisions.4
Although the REL Central study used data from assessments administered in Missouri, the results may be useful for educators elsewhere who are interested in supporting the success of students in algebra. For example, REL Appalachia's Student Success in Mathematics partnership members, comprising city school divisions in central Virginia, have identified a long-term goal of ensuring that all students master key skills, practices, and understanding of critical concepts of Algebra I to enable them to take higher-level mathematics courses in high school. The REL Central study demonstrates how they might use domain scores from existing assessments when considering which students are ready to take Algebra I in middle school. This blog highlights findings from the study and provides concrete recommendations for how educators across the country could use the results.
The study in Missouri addressed three research questions to provide information that might help educators distinguish students who are ready for Algebra I in middle school from those who might need more time and support before enrolling:
Prior to examining data to address the study's research questions, researchers examined the data to describe the students who were included in the study. The study included all students in Missouri who had taken Algebra I in grade 8 during the 2017/18 school year and had taken the grade 7 math assessment the previous year. In this statewide sample, the average score on the Algebra I end-of-course assessment was quite high, falling in the point range for advanced proficiency. This result was likely due to some districts and schools placing only the most advanced students in Algebra I in grade 8.
Next, to answer their research questions, researchers examined the associations between the five math domain scores in grade 7 and Algebra I achievement in grade 8, as measured by the end-of-course assessment. The researchers found:
When interpreting these results, it is important to keep in mind that the students in the study were quite advanced in their math skills. The results of the study may have differed if students representing a wider range of achievement had been included.
Here are some ways educators might apply the results of this study in practice:
The resources below provide information on instructional practices and policies that can support Algebra I readiness, and research findings related to math course placement.
Footnotes:
1 C. T. Clotfelter, H. F. Ladd, & J. L. Vigdor, (2012), The aftermath of accelerating algebra: Evidence from a district policy initiative (CALDER Working Paper No. 69), National Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED529166
2 T. Loveless, (2008), How well are American students learning? With sections on international assessments, the misplaced math student, and urban schools, Brown Center on Education Policy, Brookings Institution. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED506869
3 National Mathematics Advisory Panel, (2008), Foundations for success: The final report of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel, U.S. Department of Education. https://files. eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED500486.pdf
4 M. Klute, B. Dougherty, & D. Van Dine, (2020), What grade 7 foundational knowledge and skills are associated with Missouri students' Algebra I achievement in grade 8? (REL 2020–023), U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Central. http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs
5 See https://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/mathematics/index.shtml