The Rise and Fall of 8th Grade Algebra
Algebra is a gateway toward more advanced mathematics courses, and passing the course in 8th grade is a strong predictor of future college success. All students can be math solvers, but students need opportunities to prove it. Unfortunately, schools have been limiting opportunities for students to take Algebra in 8th grade, and it shows up in a remarkable graph of […]
Virginia Pushes to Accelerate Students in Math
As part of its redesigned school performance and support framework, last month Virginia adopted a new math acceleration indicator which will nudge schools to enroll more middle school student in advanced math courses. Research suggests that advanced math courses are good for students—but only if those students are ready to handle the material. The trick for policymakers, […]
A Low-Cost, Highly Effective Math Program
There’s no large, new financial investment coming over the horizon for America’s public schools. And yet, students still have a lot of unmet need. So how can policymakers boost student outcomes while making do with limited resources? This environment demands a new playbook than the one policymakers were able to pursue during the COVID recovery era, when […]