Mathematics from High School to Community College: - PowerPoint Presentation

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Mathematics from High School to Community College: Preparation, Articulation, and College Un-readiness

Louise Jaffe,

Ed.D

.

UCLA, 2012

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Research on College Readiness in Math for Community College (CC) Freshmen

Analyzed the effectiveness of different high school mathematics pathways in preparing students for college-level mathematics.Searched for routes to college readinessFound predictors of college un-readiness

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Why Math?Math Functions As A Roadblock

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Research Question

How do different high school mathematics course-taking patterns and achievement predict placement into community college mathematics?

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Examined High School Math Pathways

Where students start: Grade 9 MathWhen students stop: No Math in Grade 12Where students stop: Highest-Level Mathevery course beyond Algebra 2 doubles the odds of college completion (Adelman, 2006)

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Sample: 2920 12th Grade Students

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Multinomial Logistic Regression Model

Independent and Predictor

Variables Tested

1. Gender

2. Ethnicity: Black, Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander, White

3. Highest-Level of Parent Education

4. Indication of Low Socio-Economic-Status

5. Grade 9 Mathematics Course

6. Grade 9 Mathematics Grade Point

7. Grade 10 Mathematics Grade Point

8. Grade 11 Mathematics Grade Point

9. California High School Exit Exam Mathematics Scores

10. Highest-Level High School Mathematics Course

11. No Mathematics in Grade 12

Ordered

Dependent/Outcome

Variable

1. Community College Assessment into 1-, 2-, 3-, or 4-Levels Below College-Level Mathematics

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CC Math Assessment Placement

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Finding

Gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and parent education were not significant predictors of placement in community college mathematics.

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CC Math Assessment Placement by Ethnicity

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Finding

Mastery of mathematics that precedes high school coursework is fundamental

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Top Ten: Highest Correlation to Placement

Predictor Variablesr 1. CAHSEE Mathematics Score.669 2. Grade 7 CST Mathematics scaled score.624 3. Grade 9 CST Mathematics scaled score.610 4. Grade 8 CST Mathematics scaled score.608 5. Grade 11 CST Mathematics scaled score.577 6. Grade 10 CST Mathematics scaled score.573 7. Grade 10 CST ELA scaled score.506 8. Grade 11 Mathematics course.499 9. Grade 12 GPA (all subjects).489 10. Grade 10 Mathematics course.488p < .01

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Finding

The CAHSEE Math scale scores were significant predictors of placement at all levels below college-level mathematics

Delta-pVariable1-level below2-levels below3-levels below4-levels belowCAHSEE Math22.64%22.72%22.53%21.54%p < .001

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Finding Suggests Off-Label Use of CAHSEE Math to Improve College-Readiness (n=857)

CAHSEE Math By College Placement  CAHSEE Math SSCollege-Level1-level below2-levels below3-levels below4-levels below************SOLID PROFICIENCY431-450 (n= 77)83.1%9.1%5.2%1.3%1.3%MODERATEPROFICIENCY401-430(n=201)59.2%16.4%16.4%6.0%2.0%LOW PROFICIENCY380-400 (n=206)28.2%18.4%19.9%24.8%8.7%PASS350-379 (n=340)2.4%10.3%8.8%32.6%45.9%FAIL297-349 (n= 33)3.0%.0%.0%15.2%81.8%*** p < .001

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Finding

No Math in Grade 12 was a significant predictor of placement, with a large effect, at 2-, 3-, and 4-levels below college-level mathematics

Delta-pVariable1-level below2-levels below3-levels below4-levels belowGrade 12 No Math57.64%**45.66%*49.20%*** p <.05, ** p < .01

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Who Took No Math in Grade 12?

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*

p < .05,

**

p < .01

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Who took No Math in Grade 12?

Gr 12 No MathAll Students(n=2920)36%CC Freshmen (n=953)47%

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Who Took No Math in Grade 12?

 Ethnicity No Math in Grade 12  n%Black11443.8Latino35641.3White49532.5API6927.8

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Students who started high school further behind were more likely to stop sooner

No Grade 12 Mathematics by Students’ Grade 9 Mathematics Grade 9 Math CourseNo Math in Grade 12 Geometry or above (n=1439)24%Algebra 1 (n= 508)44%Below-Algebra 1 (n= 491)48%

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Finding

There is an opportunity cost to not taking math in grade 12.

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Where students stop is determined in part by when students stop

Highest-Level Mathematics StudentsLast GradeAbove Alg. 2Alg. 2Geom.Alg. 1 and belowAll(n=2920)Total1252%9%1%2%1111%15%3%1% 63%24%4%4%CC Freshmen (n=953)Total1234%14%1%3%1112%23%4%2% 46%37%6%5%

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Students who advanced beyond Algebra 2 were more likely to be college-ready

Highest-Level

Math with CC Math Placement

High School Math

Community College Math Placement

N

Highest-level

Grade

Taken

College-level

1-level below

2-levels below

3-levels below

4-levels below

> Algebra 2

12

54%

16%

13%

11%

6%

307

11

48%

16%

15%

12.5%

8%

104

Algebra 2

12

11%

8%

9.5%

32%

40%

126

11

11%

14%

16%

28%

31%

210

<

Algebra 2

12

2%

2%

5%

24%

67%

42

11

1.9%

3.8%

5.7%

34%

55%

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Most students who took No Math in Grade 12 passed Grade 11 Math

GPA in Grade 11 Math for students who took No Math in Grade 12   ABCDFail  All Students Above Algebra 2 (n=313)21%27%33%12%6%Algebra 2 (n=438)12%20%33%17%18%Geometry (n=86)7%10%19%37%27%  CC Freshmen Above Algebra 2 (n=110)8%26%36%19%10%Algebra 2 (n=218)11%17%30%20%22%Geometry (n=39)10%13%18%41%18%

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Students traveled different paths through high school mathematics

High School Observed PathwaysHigh School Mathematics Grade 9 Grade 12 Highest- Level MathAll StudentsN=2363CC FreshmenN=739> Algebra 1Yes> Algebra 236.5%17.7%> Algebra 1YesAlgebra 2.4%.5%> Algebra 1Yes< Algebra 2.4%.6%> Algebra 1No> Algebra 29.6%10.3%> Algebra 1NoAlgebra 2.9%1.3%> Algebra 1No< Algebra 2.1%.2%≤ Algebra 1Yes> Algebra 211.0%11.6%≤ Algebra 1YesAlgebra 26.0%10.4%≤ Algebra 1Yes< Algebra 21.5%2.2%≤ Algebra 1No> Algebra 2.2%.2%≤ Algebra 1NoAlgebra 212.4%19.5%≤ Algebra 1No< Algebra 22.0%2.9%TOTAL  81%78%

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Conclusions

T

he

high school mathematics path most frequently travelled by community college-bound students was characterized

by:

Algebra

1 or below in grade 9,

no

math in grade 12, and

no

HS math beyond Algebra 2

.

At

these important junctures, students were directed to or chose paths that diminished their chances of attaining college-readiness

.

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Conclusions

These findings

suggest high schools could

decrease college

un

-

readiness in mathematics for community college-bound

students by:

C

ontinuing

to

strengthen mastery of basic

arithmetic and pre-algebra

content for

students who score below 430 on the CAHSEE Math

Requiring lower achieving students to take

math in grade

12, using senior year to remediate weak skills or to advance beyond Algebra 2

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Conclusions

I

f educators and researchers in California could study student records across segments (K12 to CC), they would identify useful and actionable findings to improve college readiness.

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Questions? Comments?

Thank you!

Louise Jaffe

louisecjaffe@gmail.com

310-450-2487