NCTM 2008 Algebra II

							 Closing the Mathematics Expectations Gap:
How the American Diploma Project States are
              Leading the Way


                      Committee on Education and Labor
     Hearing on The National Mathematics Advisory Panel
                         Report: Foundations for Success
                                           May 21, 2008
    Who is Achieve, Inc.?

   Created by the nation’s governors and business
    leaders, Achieve, Inc., is a bipartisan non-profit
    organization that helps states raise academic
    standards, improve assessments and strengthen
    accountability to prepare all young people for
    postsecondary education, careers, and citizenship.
   In 2004, Achieve published, Ready or Not, English
    and mathematics benchmarks which reflect the
    knowledge and skills high school graduates need to
    have to be successful in college and career. In 2005,
    Achieve launched the American Diploma Project
    (ADP) network, a coalition of states committed to
    improving student preparation.
                                                           2
ADP Network launched at 2005
Summit: 13 states committed to
improving student preparation




                                 3
ADP Network today: thirty-three
states now committed to
improving student preparation




                                  4
Closing the Expectations Gap:
ADP Network Policy Agenda

   Align high school standards with college and career
    expectations.
   Require all students to take curriculum aligned with
    standards.
   Include “college-ready” tests, aligned with state
    standards, in high school assessment system.
   Hold high schools accountable for graduating
    students college- and career-ready, and hold
    postsecondary institutions accountable for student
    success.

                                                           5
The ADP Recommended College-
& Career-ready Curriculum

   Achieve’s research suggests that for high school
    graduates to be prepared for success in
    postsecondary settings, they need to take:
       Four years of challenging mathematics—through the
        content typically taught in Algebra II, or its equivalent,
        and beyond, and
       Four years of rigorous English aligned with college and
        career ready standards.
   In 2005, only 2 states had graduation requirements
    at this level.
   As of May 2008, 19 states plus the District of
    Columbia have graduation requirements at the level.
                                                                     6
Nineteen States & DC Require
a College- & Career-ready
Diploma (as of May, 2008)




                               7
State Mathematics Requirements
2005




                                 2
                                       9



                           30
                                        10




                    Algebra II       Geometry
                    Algebra I        Not Specified   8
State Mathematics Requirements
2008




                           20            20




                                 5   6




                    Algebra II       Geometry
                    Algebra I        Not Specified   9
Closing the Mathematics
Expectations Gap
       Achieve Projects to Assist States In Improving
                 Mathematics Achievement:
   Algebra II End-of-Course Exam
   Algebra I End-of-Course Exam
   Achieve-UT Dana Center joint website
    www.utdanacenter.org/k12benchmarks math
    benchmarks, back mapping, model courses, sample
    instructional and workplace tasks
   Achieve Advocacy Tools—Math at Work Brochures and
    other advocacy tools making the case for advanced
    mathematics for ALL students
    www.achieve.org/mathatwork
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    Emerging mathematics themes

   Algebra II is the new Algebra I, but not your grandpa’s Algebra II.
   More states and districts are contemplating organizing high school
    mathematics in integrated courses rather than the traditional
    sequence.
   Finding new ways to present and make mathematics relevant to
    students (integrated courses, CTE) without diluting rigor will enable
    more students to be prepared for college and good careers.




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Emerging Mathematics Themes

   Employers and postsecondary faculty place a high value
    on statistics, probability and data analysis.
   States are increasingly interested in ensuring that their
    mathematics standards are internationally benchmarked
    to the highest performing countries in the world.
    Achieve is currently conducting a study to benchmark
    our mathematics standards and NAEP against the
    standards of the world’s highest performing countries.
   Teacher capacity is one of the greatest challenges in
    making more advanced mathematics classes available to
    more students at the secondary level.
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