The Unintended Consequences of an Algebra-for-All Policy on High-Skill Students: The Effects on Instructional Organization and Students' Academic Outcomes

Autor/in	Nomi, Takako
Institution	Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness (SREE)
Titel	The Unintended Consequences of an Algebra-for-All Policy on High-Skill Students: The Effects on Instructional Organization and Students' Academic Outcomes
Quelle	(2010), (20 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	Weitere Informationen
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Monographie
Schlagwörter	Educational Policy; Algebra; Graduation Requirements; Student Diversity; Ability; Knowledge Level; Grade 9; Outcomes of Education; Context Effect; Mathematics Achievement; Educational Change; High Achievement; School Organization; Illinois + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Politics of education; Bildungspolitik; Abschlussordnung; Fähigkeit; Fertigkeit; Wissensbasis; School year 09; 9. Schuljahr; Schuljahr 09; Lernleistung; Schulerfolg; Mathmatics sikills; Mathmatics achievement; Mathematical ability; Mathematische Kompetenz; Bildungsreform; School organisation; Schulorganisation
Abstract	The purpose of this study is to understand how a policy that provided college-prep coursework for low-skill students may affect instructional organization within schools, and how such effects on instructional organization may have unintended consequences on academic outcomes of high-skill students who were not targeted by the policy. The author and her colleagues focus on a ninth-grade algebra-for-all policy implemented in Chicago public schools (CPS) and address two research questions; (1) to what extent did a policy that required algebra for all students in ninth grade affect classroom academic composition?; and (2) for high-skill students who were not targeted by the policy, how did the policy affect their academic outcomes? The results showed potential challenges of a curricular policy of expanding a college-prep curriculum to all students: schools are likely to detrack math classrooms when the policy merely required them to eliminate remedial coursework, and this resulted in lower peer ability levels for high-skill students. Consequently, their test scores suffered from this policy. This study suggests that simply mandating a college-prep curriculum for all students is not sufficient enough to improve academic outcomes of all students. An appendix presents: Statistical Models to estimate the effect of an algebra-for-all policy on students' academic outcomes among high-skill students. (Contains 3 tables and 11 figures.) (ERIC).
Anmerkungen	Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness. 2040 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208. Tel: 202-495-0920; Fax: 202-640-4401; e-mail: inquiries@sree.org; Web site: http://www.sree.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10