Most high school math curriculums feature Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II but access to Advanced Placement courses is less common, a new analysis reveals.
Small and rural high schools and those in which a majority of the students live in poverty are less likely than students in other settings to be offered Advanced Placement math courses, according to the high school principals surveyed for the RAND Corporation’s “American Mathematics Educator Study.”
“Achievement in mathematics, particularly in advanced mathematics courses—such as trigonometry, precalculus, calculus, or Advanced Placement courses—is important for long-term college and career success,” the report says. “However, many students—particularly students who are Black, Hispanic, or from low-income households—do not have access to advanced mathematics courses.”
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However, the biggest obstacles math instruction faces are absenteeism among students and teacher shortages. Another hurdle is how students are “tracked,” or grouped by achievement level. A majority of principals reported that teacher recommendations play an important role in tracking.
“Although tracking may be intended to ensure that students are exposed to appropriately challenging content, in practice it can limit access to advanced mathematics courses in high school based on early achievement levels,” the authors of the report caution.
Principals also noted that students have greater access to college prep courses than career-oriented math instruction.
New formulas for high school math
The report offers several ideas for enrolling more students in advanced classes and bolstering math’s role in the transition to college and careers:
- Expanding access: High schools should offer the full range of math classes that meet state graduation requirements. Schools that have limited capacity to expand math offerings should partner with other districts, colleges or online providers of advanced courses. It’s also important to ensure that students in all math courses are covering grade-level content.
- Making placement decisions equitably: Most high school principals blend assessment data and educator recommendations to place students in math courses. To make these decisions more equitable, district and school leaders should use multiple data sources consistently and transparently. Administrators should also receive training on correcting the inherent bias in various data sources.
- Supporting career preparation: Administrators should ramp up efforts to connect students with college and career mentors and invest more heavily in business partnerships that provide job-shadowing opportunities, including virtual experiences when limited by geography or financial resources. However, many of the principals surveyed reported that they did not have enough data to determine precisely what postsecondary transitions and career support students are receiving.
- Identifying barriers to postsecondary readiness: Educators should share more information with families about courses, math pathways and postsecondary options.
